Sinners
by SkyeZ
Summary: Hinata is new to town and the Kyuubi gang wants her to join. Naruto wants to protect his important people after all. Only for the gang to be draged into a gang war on large scale enven for Konoha. Did Hinata make the right choice?
1. Chapter 1

**I have fresh ideas for stories! This one came from the song by Chemical Romance- Teenagers. XD don't know why….**

**This will be like the Konoha High stories, no ninjas, just…well people! Lol. And I have another idea to…but I'll follow up on that later. **

**I'm going to try and do different point of views from the girls. Just the girls…and the boys. Yeah. Boy's point of views to :) so, that whole thing just turned out to be redundant….lol**

**Please review and tell me if you like it and want to see moreXD**

**Do NOT own Naruto**

**Couple maybes: NaruXHina, InoXSai, SasuXSaku, TemaXShika, NejiXTenTen… **

**Lee, Choji, Kiba, Shino, Gaara, Kankuro: but then who get's these boys? That's my problem here…okay…I'm keeping the NaruXHina, so it's out of the question that they'll be taken away. **

**So will you all help me decide character couples or maybe you have an idea for an OC for the others or other characters from Naruto? Please, any help would be great.**

**Characters are 14, except for you know who's who are older so their age can be easily guessed. If I make the Akatsuki appear…they'll be Temari and Neji's ages. To give you an example…Hinata: 14, Neji: 15, Temari: 16…TenTen and Lee will be the same age as everyone else cause I kinda made it that way….lol**

**Coolio? :)**

**I'm still a Hinatafinatic, so I can't see myself not having her in the story or main focus and stuff. I'm trying to even out my focus points thow…mby…**

**And I'm not getting rid of the stutter ^.^ I think its adorable! Lol**

**Tell me if you guys like and I'll write more! Please review:)**

**~Signing in Skye~**

Ch. 1

Meet the Gang

*Hinata*

The alarm clock rang out loudly, disrupting my dream. A good dream to. It was before my father sent me off with some relatives, before my mother died and left me here. Before everything wrong.

I sighed, rolling over I pushed the alarm button off and leaned back into my pillow. Refusing to open my eyes to the morning sun of Konoha. I was back home. I should be ecstatic but I just couldn't find it in me. What if they teased me to? I had childhood friends from here, would they be willing to try again and be my friend? Would TenTen still be my friend here?

Thinking of the bright girl, I jumped out of bed. I was happy at the idea of seeing her again. She had become my friend when she moved to my old school before she moved down here. She said she also had an old friend down here she wanted me to meet.

I opened my dark purple curtain to the morning sun and let its heat wash over and reassure me. The lush green landscape of the town assaulted my vision in a pleasant way. I drew my gaze to the red building in the distance. The Hokage's building was near the school, the mayor of sorts of our town and my new principle.

Someone knocked on the door. "Hinata-sama are you dressed? You missed breakfast." Neji asked through the door. He sounded sad that I missed it. No one told me there was even going to be breakfast today. Neji was my cousin, a brother to me and I loved him greatly. He had hated me for a while. Now he was over protective.

"I'll b-e out in a m-minute Neji-ni-san." I called softly through the door. I listened till his foot steps were gone before I headed to the dresser where I had folded the cloths I was going to wear today on top of it.

I was soon dressed in a blue shirt and a pale lavender jacket that I zipped up, I wore some jeans, but they might as well be boy's jeans because they didn't hug my form like most jeans would. That's how I liked it. I hid myself, anything that would show off was to much of an attention getter. Better to just blend.

My hair was growing out and I wasn't sure what to do with it. It hung down near the middle of my back so I settled with just leaving it there before brushing my pearly whites. After all that was done, I grabbed my backpack and took a look around my room before leaving. It was a pale lavender and purple room. A good soft bed and a small table for studying in the middle of the room, a dresser and a closet, a bathroom a few posters and pictures. But if I thought about it, the room looked almost sad and empty.

I quickly grabbed my iPod from my dresser and placed it in my pocket, the earphones wrapped tightly around that. Don't want to be forgetting that. Music often calmed me down and soothed me when nothing else could. Or no one would.

"Hinata!" Hanabi, my younger sister called up the stairs impatiently. "Hurry!"

"Co-ming!" I hollered back. Running down the stairs and out the door, I rushed into the car and sat beside Neji in the back seat. Hanabi turned to me with a grin. She confused me. Growing up -for the most part- apart from each other, we had never developed much of a sister bond. I wasn't sure if she hated me, or liked me. Right now, it seemed like she liked me.

She turned back around and flicked through the channels while the driver drove us off to school.

Neji looked at me and held out my lunch money. No, that was his lunch money. I shook my head but he glared at me and my hand shot out to take it. 'Thank you.' I mouthed. My dad hadn't given me any lunch money. Neji shrugged it off and held up a wallet with a small smirk. Neji had a job, but I didn't know what it was. He was out for long hours. I actually joked about him being in a gang once. When he looked panicked, I dropped the subject. Maybe that was his job.

"No problem."

The rest of the ride was quiet but for the music. I sighed and shifted uncomfortable while our driver dropped Hanabi off at school then drove up the lave to our school. It was an okay size school. Big. There was even a dorm of sorts for transfers and orphans or people who parents were away for long amounts of time for work.

"Hinata-sama?" I looked up and smiled for my cousin. Her relaxed and held out his hand. "Come on, I'll show ya to the principal's office."

"T-thank you ni-san." I took his hand and he led me through the front door. They were tall red doors and I was curious at the writing above them. **Konoha High, Give it You're All; Seize the Future. **Okay? The halls were quiet.

"A-are we e-early?"

"No. No one stays in this hall in the morning." He smirked and pointed to the principal's office. I could see through the glass in the door. A secretary was sitting there, obviously bored and playing with a pig. I did a double take.

'_Why in the _world _is there a pig in school!'_

Neji was talking to me as he opened the door. "Tsunade can't handle loud noise in the morning," he then mumbled quietly, "stupid drunk," before continuing, "she'll murder you." I gulped wide eyed. Neji laughed at me.

"Don't worry, you're a quiet kid, I'm sure you'll do fine."

"Grandma! Come on, I didn't spray the lockers! It was that sick Sound gang. They framed us! Come on…" Came a _very _loud voice from behind another closed door that said '**Tsunade**.'

"The idiot." Neji smirked slightly.

The black haired girl sighed and looked up from her game with the pig who oinked cutely. Forget the fact about the pig in school, it's kind of cute!

"You'll have to wait for her."

"Thanks Shizune." Neji sat down pulling me with him by the wrist.

"Come on Grandma! You know my style of art by now, that cruddy spray paint job wasn't mine!"

"How can we not know, he sprayed the cafeteria." Neji grumbled.

Again I stared wide eyed at the door. What the heck? What type of guy was in there? Was he a punk, a troublemaker?

"I _do _know Naruto! Now get out! I have evidence that it wasn't yours so why are you panicking! And stop calling me grandma! Oh, I got a head ach now." That was the principle! I shuddered and glanced at Neji. He gazed at me in a bored manner. Does this happen every day.

"Oh." The boy's voice toned down a little and he laughed sheepishly. "I panicked?"

The older women's voice responded. "You'll be the death of me, I just wanted to congratulate you for finally getting a B. It's a rare moment. We already have someone cleaning."

"Oh! Thank- hey! Now I know who to copy from…" He paused. "I'm ganna go now." He rushed and I heard quick steps running from the room and the door burst open to reveal a sunshine blond boy with sea blue eyes and whisker marks on his cheeks. He wore an orange shirt that said, 'We are the lazy generation' in black letters. He wore jeans that had ripped holes at the knees with splattered paint on them and some worn Nike shoes.

"Naruto you copied!" Someone yelled from the room.

He smiled a wide grin and rushed away from an empty bottle being thrown his way, which hit the wall from behind me.

'_What! I'm ganna die here!"_

"Sorry Grandma, I gatta go or I'll be late!" He turned laughing and stopped instantly, spotting me and Neji. He glowered at Neji and growled. Neji returned his look with a glare. He then shot his gaze to me, tilting his head to the side confused.

I felt my face heat up. He was cute. And I think I've seen him before? He turned away and I tried to search my memory for anyone that matched his description in my head. Then I remembered like a sudden light bulb.

The blond, Naruto, growled at my cousin. "You dirt bag, I know it was y-!" He began but was cut off as a blond women with her hair in two ponytails and some HUGE br-ahem, assets rushed out and grabbed him in a headlock dragging the struggling boy back in the room who was quickly turning blue.

He then expertly shot out of her grasp, gasping for air and running out of the front door calling over his shoulder as he went. "See you later grandma! And Neji, next time you try to frame us you and Sound are dead!" I gulped and twiddled with my thumbs. What. The. Heck!

'_Neji, what have you done?'_

"Oh, you must be the new student." I turned to see the principle calming herself down viably while rubbing her temples. "I'll give you your schedule, Neji you can leave." She turned and motioned me to follow then stopped and turned around. I had a feeling I was at deaths door right now. "And when you see Kabuto, tell him to come visit me, I'd like to thank him for his art on the walls. Be thankful I'm not punishing the whole gang." Neji paled and glanced at me before turning to walk away.

"Okay, come on in dear," Tsuande laughed at my frightened look, "I don't bite."

I shuddered. Yeah, sure you don't.

*Naruto*

I sat in class and fumed silently. I glanced at my friends, my _gang_ who were all talking to each other around me.

"What's wrong now?" Gaara shot me a sea green glance and took his seat next to me.

I laughed at my stupidity. I was angry over such a stupid reason. "Sound tried to frame us." I rolled my eyes and Sakura started to laugh.

"Who'd they have draw it?" Ino asked.

I shrugged. "Saw Neji at the office though, didn't stay to ask. Tusnade figured out I copied off of Temari."

The blond glared dagger at me. "What I do?" I gave her my 'I'm-innocent' look.

"Don't copy off of me." She growled and I shut up before she killed me. Man these girls scared me! And it was my gang to!

'_Hehehe, that's actually very funny.'_

"So, why was he in the office?" Shika questioned lazily by Temari.

"I mean, Neji may be in sound," They totally nabbed him from us, not sure how though. All of us grew up together in this town. Neji came in at 5th grade though and TenTen a year later. Gaara and his family in 8th grade. Only Kankuro was in Sound. "But he's like Sakura, a book worm and goody toe shoes through and through." TenTen stated.

"Hey!" Sakura protested, her green eyes flashing madly and TenTen who pulled what we called, 'Sweet Panda' look. It just _made _you want to hug her.

"Sakura is a beautiful flower who should not be made fun of!" Lee declared and stood up. Sakura twitched and sighed in defeat. Ino was now laughing her butt off holding her gut on the floor.

"Wow." I mumbled staring at my gang. My friends. My precious people.

"Hey man, you never told us why he was there. You know?" Kiba broke through all the laughter. He patted his dogs head lovingly.

"I'd rather have food." Choji moaned. Shino next to him shrugged in his buggy way and stayed still. I sighed.

"Don't know, he was with the dark haired girl. Little sister maybe." I shrugged. "Man I'm bored. The bell hasn't even rung yet!"

"If he has a little sister," Shino began.

"She'll probably be cold like him." Temari smirked.

"She'll probably be taken by Sound instantly." Shika stated rubbing his eyes. "Now be quiet, I'm tired."

"Idiot!" Temari yelled in his ear. Shika flinched but stayed propped in his seat head in his hands.

"Troublesome." Temari growled and I turned away from his harsh beating.

"No way that stick in the mud will let her even near us for school." Sakura mumbled.

"Don't go associating with the Kyuubi, those stupid little fox's will only ruin you.'" TenTen mocked him.

I started to laugh. "He would say that!"

"Sadly we don't have a class with him, we can't make fun of him till lunch." Choji laughed then grumbled about wishing lunch came sooner.

"We do have it with Teme." I said dejectedly. Sauske used to be one of us before he switched suddenly without word as to why. It hurt me deeply, he was like a brother. I decided to change the subject.

"You know, I think I've seen the girl before."

"Really?" TenTen mumbled. "Hey, you said it was girl right, that looked like Neji?"

I nodded and she went into deep thought while Temari threw little paper balls at her.

Gaara sighed and leaned into his chair. "I'm bored." I chuckled. Me to.

The bell rang and surprisingly, Kakashi walked in on time! He sat down, picked up his questionable book and red till all the other students came in late thinking he'd be twenty minutes late as usual. One of those students was Sasuke who ignored us and walked to the far back. I could almost hear Sakura's heart breaking. She loved him to death. I grew out of my crush for her when he left.

After everyone was seated and strangely quiet in awe that Kakashi was on time a knock came to the door.

"Class, we got a new student today." He said in a bored tone. "Come on in!"

In walked the girl from the office. Her hair hid her face as she walked over to Kakashi and gave him a note. She kept her face hidden from us and shyly shuffled uncomfortable with our staring.

Ino whispered to us. "Not at all like Neji." She mumbled. Then it hit me! Neji lived here when he was a kid but moved at seven, with his cousin!

"Hinata!" I stood and yelled at the same time as TenTen.

*TenTen*

It hit me. I knew that shy shuffle! I met here at my old school before the system sent me down here. That's why I recognized Neji when I met him, I had seen pictures. And that's how I knew her. I smacked my head, she did send me a letter.

I stood and at the same time as Naruto yelled out her name. "Hinata!" She looked up startled but catching my eye. Her scared face broke into a huge grin and her eyes sparkled. Kakashi was telling her something so she turned away for a minute.

I turned my attention to Naruto. "How do you know her?" He gave me his big grin. I was thankful to Naruto. I would never have to be in the foster system again. I lived with him. Actually, Gaara and his sister stayed with him and so did Lee. We lived in what Naruto called the "Shack." An old warehouse amped up some for living conditions of about twenty teens. So there was plenty of room and we all had the same guardian. Tsunade and Jiraiya.

"Well, she used to live here with Neji and her family." He grinned.

"Oh!" Kiba barked out. "The little shy girl?"

"I remember her." Sakura said.

There were other statements of agreement of remembering her. So she lived here before…everything with her family.

I turned to Temari and she shrugged. I also new Temari from my time in the system, I spent a year in Suna. Why was a Junior even in a sophomore class? Oh, she has no first period.

"You can go sit over there with those loud kids." Kakashi yawned and waved her our way. I turned back to her and smiled. She had let her hair grow out since I last saw her at twelve.

"Hinata!" I waved her over happily, and Naruto went up to her. He looked her over for a minute and I saw her face turn ten shades of red. Sakura and Ino glanced at each other smirking. Great Hinata, now you've done yourself in. He then smiled and gave her a huge hug before leading her over, letting her sit between the two of us. Her eyes wide in shock.

"You remember me Hinata?" He asked happily. She nodded mutely and I pushed him away. Considering he was leaning right over her.

"Hinata, it's great to see you again!" She turned to me with a grateful smile while the red turned off a notch.

"Y-you to TenT-en." She stuttered shyly. I grinned and took her hand and pointed to everyone, naming off names. She nodded at those she remembered and gave Gaara and Temari a shy wave.

She smiled and Shika sat up suddenly. "Hinata you're Neji's cousin right. Do you know about the Sound?" Straight to business with him. She shook her head.

"W-what's t-he sound?"

"A gang." I whispered to her. Her mouth opened in shock before she shook her head and glanced at us nervously.

"Neji used to be part of us." Shika said again.

"Y-you're a g-gang?" She mumbled but turned to me. I nodded. Sweet innocent Hinata.

"The Kyuubi Gange." Lee said proudly.

"The stupidest Gang. Shouldn't a gang be ditching school?" Temari joked. We all actually wanted a life unlike some gangs. Naruto only made the gang to protect his friends, having been alone since birth. So really, we only got dragged into the wars on accident. But we needed to defend ourselves to.

"And the Sound hasn't asked you to join?" Ino mumbled.

She shook her head and I quickly spoke to her. "Were not asking you to join us or anything Hianta." She glanced at me again. "But if you were nabbed by the Sound, then we wouldn't be able to hang with you." She nodded in agreement and twiddled her pointed fingers together.

"Sound wouldn't pick her." Shino said calmly, lifting his glasses off the bridge of his nose.

"Hn, he's right." He was, they only went after strong egotistic types. Hinata was frailer, she didn't like the spotlight or conflict.

Naruto shrugged and turned to her opening his mouth wide.

"Naruto." Sakura warned before he could yell. He giggled and said in a normal inside voice.

"Wanna become one of us?" I looked at him, it wasn't a matter of man power he needed, it was just he wanted to protect his friends and keep them close the only way he knew how. His eyes were filled with it. Protectiveness.

She gulped and looked to me for help and I sighed. "You don't got to join, but it would be appreciated."

"She could just hang with us as friends." Temari suggested.

"But then how can we protect her?" Shika said. "She won't have the gang turf, just enough of it to be used against us." He meant something like people harming her to get to us. It happens a lot. But if its someone outside of our gang life, we can't do much about it unless they kill her. No one is that stupid.

"She should join." Gaara said coldly. Though his tone was harsh, he was like Naruto. He wanted his important people safe and not to drag an innocent into pointless war.

"Uuumm," Hinata mumbled turning pink when everyone turned to her. "I w-would like t-o s-stay friends w-ith TenTen, i-if it m-makes it easi-er to j-oin I will." She blushed a twiddled with her fingers again.

I hugged her tight and Naruto grinned.

"Then welcome to Kyuubi!" Naruto beamed at her and shook her hair. To which Hinata only turned a darker shade of red. "I'll show you the Shack after school."

I sighed. "Naruto. I think we make decisions to fast."

"Why?" He looked confused. He did everything at a fast pace.

"Nah, it's cool." I gave Hinata a hug and waited eagerly for school to be out.

**#####**

**This is ganna be another fanfic that goes a little fast through things I guess. Sorry bout that. I'm just so hyper! Energy drinks…hahahaha!**

**Anyways, hope you like and please review!**

**~Signing off Skye~**


	2. Chapter 2

**I just wanted to write the next chapter as fast as I could! I have an idea for it. :) Again, you just have to love energy drinks! Lmao!**

**Please Review:)**

**I said I wanted to try all points of views, so I will…just be patient with me please. And any help would be appreciated.**

**~Signing in Skye~**

Ch.2

Into the War

*Temari*

TenTen was excited. All throughout the school day, she would run over to me and just glomp me! Thought I was going to die. Then again, I couldn't blame her. Her friend was here, a girl she cared for like a sister, was coming over to our 'house.'

"Come on bell ring!" She twitched like Naruto on sugar. "Ring!" She said frustrated at the clock and I threw a basketball at her, which she expertly caught.

"Come on TenTen, a few more hoops and then we'll meet everyone else." I smirked and with sigh she turned to me. We both had gym for our last period of the day.

"If you play the day will move by faster." I teased. TenTen laughed and shot the ball into the hoop.

"Then let the game began!"

A few hoops and a lot of competition later we were walking to the parking lot with big smiles on our faces. Hinata wasn't there yet, but everyone else was. Only Temari, Gaara and Shikamaru could drive. Gaara and Shikamaru were rumored to have fake licenses, but they accidently got put in drives ed. their sophomore year and just got lucky to stay. I drove a black Jeep, Gaara a red one; what can I say, we like jeeps, and Shika drove a gray truck. Boring lazy butt.

"Now be nice okay?" I told them. "She's shy."

"We know." Sakura laughed. "We remember, and today was a give a way." She glanced at Naruto who was trying to bribe Choji into giving him his food. "In a lot of ways." I smiled. Yup.

"Uumm," came a timid voice behind us. "h-hi."

I turned to see Hinata standing there nervously fidgeting. She was an all right girl, I can see why Gaara would suggest that she doesn't join. She too sweet. A good kid, but to kind. Almost like she could break at the smallest touch.

"Hinata!" Naruto yelled out happily rushing to her and bear hugging the poor girl. "You came!"

Hinata's face turned bright red and then the weirdest thing happened. She fainted.

"Naruto you idiot!" Sakura fumed as she smacked him in the head causing him to drop Hinata whom Kiba caught skillfully.

"What I do?" He whined rubbing his head. I started to laugh, I could feel it bubble inside me till it burst out. TenTen glared at him and grabbed Hinata from Kiba taking her to my car.

"Idiot Naruto." She mumbled before rolling up the window.

Naruto stared at us with wide blue eyes. Shika sighed.

"Everyone get in the cars." He mumbled sleepily. Naruto shrugged and walked off while I took my seat behind the wheel still giggling like mad.

"It wasn't _that _funny." Ino chuckled from the seat beside me.

"I checked her over. She didn't hit anything." Sakura said from the back seat smiling, green emeralds happy. TenTen huffed while Hinata sat up some.

"S-sorry 'bout t-hat." She blushed cutely.

"It's fine Hinata." TenTen laughed and punched her arm playfully. Hinata gave us a nervous smile. I drove the car down the road and pointed off into the distance near the woods.

"We live right on the edge of town, the trees are our backyard." Sakura said for me.

"Oh." She looked wide eyes at the cars in front of us amazed.

"So Hinata, you still like Naruto after all this time?" Ino questioned slyly looking at her threw the mirror. She turned rose red.

"Uh, um…"

"Wait, you liked Naruto when you lived here?" TenTen asked amazed. "That little idiot?"

"Nartuo's n-not a-n idio-t. He's admir-able." She mumbled twiddling with her thumbs.

"He's got something going for him then to catch your eye." I commented with a laugh.

I had heard he was a lonely kid. Alone like Gaara had been back at home. No one wanted to be near him, as if he had the plague. I looked at Hinata, she saw what was in him before anyone else did. Naruto really is quite amazing.

"Oh, look!" Ino pointed to the boys' cars speeding up.

"Let's race them!" TenTen shouted wrapping and arm around Hinata and shaking her back and forth.

*Hinata*

I thought I was going to die! They sped up so fast I felt that we were moving at light speed. Okay, that's over exaggerating, but still, that was dangerous!

Sakura shook me slightly. Her pink hair falling over her eyes. "Hey now, breath Hinata!" She laughed, eyes dilated with adrenalin. She helped me out of the car and I got a look at the 'Shack.'

"Oh!" Choji, the kind chubby boy turned to me, "This is the Shack." He smiled.

"Why they named it that?," Temari groaned, "I'm never letting a boy name my kid."

We started to giggle while the boys glared at us before walking inside. I glanced over the shack. It was like a branch family house, not a mansion, but definitely not small. There was a blue door and a garage to the side. About nine windows in total on the front. It was three stories tall and the last window was at the top, probably an attic.

It would fit all of us plus some more. The entire outside was painted in camouflage colors except for the giant nine tailed fox on the front on the garage. Impressive.

"W-whoa." I gazed at the 'Shack' while TenTen dragged me inside by the wrist. Inside was simple. Pale carpet, paint splattered walls, a large livening room down the hallway that would be big enough for a party. A kitchen off to the right, another two hallways down to the left and stairs leading up. Pictures, posters, and drawings decorated the walls.

"Will you guys be quiet!" Sakura boomed out. All the boys were in the living room and Kiba, Naruto, Lee and Choji were fighting over the game controls to their T.V. Shika and Gaara just sat on the couch.

"T-this p-place is amazing." I told TenTen. She smiled.

"We save up all our money for some good stuff. And we make some here and there." Naruto beamed then shifted uncomfortably at the last statement. 'Here and there,' probably gang business. "And Jiraiya and Grandma help us out." I nodded and the others sighed visibly, relived that I wouldn't ask about 'here and there' stuff.

"Come on in, sit down." Temari invited plopping herself down on a couch. I sat down on a recliner shifting a little bit to get comfortable.

"So you sure you want to join us?" TenTen asked me sitting on the floor.

I shrugged and bit my lip. "Well?" Naruto prompted with a grin.

"Yeah." I said slowly with my head down a little. I then looked over into Naruto's eyes. "I w-would."

"Awesome!" He and Kiba yelled out before glaring at each other.

"How youthful you are Hinata!" Lee shouted with them. I started to laugh nervously before my laughter picked up volume.

"What's so funny?" TenTen questioned me with a smirk.

I laughed out again before taking a deep calming breath. "J-just t-thought it wa-s funny." After all, I'm in a gang. Me, Hinata! It's hilarious!

"Who wants to play basketball?" Temari said suddenly. The other boys who had tuned out the conversation perked up and nodded.

"Forget it, I just did my nails." Ino huffed.

"I'm not willing to be pushed over again," Sakura glared at TenTen, "That hurt."

Temari laughed. "She's competitive." I smiled at this, TenTen was competitive. I remember, playing with her is like playing with death. She's truly terrifying.

"So are you Temari!" Naruto shouted loudly, I turned to him and blushed remembering my crush in the boy as kids. Seems I still like him. "I mean, I thought you killed Shika that one time."

"She's a poor loser and she sucks at Shogi." Shika yawned and handed the remote to Gaara.

"Okay," Kiba cut in, "let's just go out there!"

"Yes my youth-"

"Say youthful one more time and I'll hurt you." Choji glared at Lee who had stepped on his bag of chips. I sat there wide-eyed taking in my group of friends. They switched from one thing to another like a squirrel in a tree on sugar.

"You're missing the ball." Gaara said calmly staring at the screen racing a car down the lane. "I think Naruto lost it."

"What! Hey ice-cube, why blame me." He shot back.

"That's right." Sakura piped in, "You did lose it."

"Sakura, you too!" Naruto looked on the verge of tears. "Betrayers!" He suddenly laughed.

"Go look for it," Shika mumbled lazily.

"I don't want to look for it alone." He whined. Temari and TenTen rolled their eyes.

"N-Naruto." I blushed and twiddled with my fingers. "I'll help y-ou lo-ok." I gazed at him and his face bust out in a grin.

"Thank you Hinata!" Temari and Ino started to laugh which only made me blush deeper. "See, Hinata likes me!" He rushed over to me and dragged me up by my hand and out the back door. "You're a good friend Hinata." He turned around to grin at me. "Plus I don't think you'll ever hit me. Not like Sakura and Ino do." He stuck his tongue out at them and Ino gave him the bird.

"Ouch." He mumbled laughing.

"D-do y-ou know w-here you l-lost it?" I asked as he led me out the back door to a paved area. I looked around, to basketball goals, old ones but with new nets. But behind it was the trees. I didn't realize how close we were to the outskirts of town.

"Uhhh…" He scratched his head confused and dropped my hand. "I hide it from the others." He grinned and sat on the ground. I went over and stood beside him.

"Let's make them wait." He pointed above his head. "It's in my room."

I started to blush. "T-then why-"

"I'm bored." He shrugged his shoulders and blew a big breath upward making his bangs flap a little. "I wanted to know how you've been to. I remember you when you lived here and then you were gone." His eyebrows drew together in confusion.

"W-well." I shuffled a little. "I w-ent to live i-n a-another town with Neji. T-till he m-moved back." My father told him to come back. Neji was a prodigy. I wasn't. He left me with people who I didn't really know, and who didn't really care about me. They just wanted to please my dad.

"That must suck." He gave me a reassuring grin. "And you met TenTen down there when the system moved her?"

I nodded. "Whoa," He laughed again placing a hand on his stomach. "Hey Hinata."

"Hm?"

"Thanks for joining," He gave me a serious look. It was so different from his carefree laughing face, but that was okay, it made him all the more handsome. Catching my own thoughts, I blushed. "It's dangerous to be in a gang, but I didn't see any way to keep everyone safe. I just wanted something to call my own. I'm not even sure why they joined or stayed when things went downhill and we got caught in the wars." He sighed.

I bent down some into a crouching position. "Y-you're a lea-der." He glanced at me surprised, but I was also serious. "Yo-u don't a-act l-ike one and y-you stay p-art of t-the gro-up, all t-he more r-reason to follow y-you." I smiled at him.

"You know what?" He suddenly laughed and pulled me into a quick hug before letting me go. "I like people like you!"

I felt my cheeks burn. "Hey, you okay, you sick or something?" _'He likes people like me!' _I turned my head away so that he wouldn't see me red as a rose. That's when I saw it.

A gleam in the bush.

*Naruto*

I didn't even know what happened. All I heard where the sounds of guns firing. Like thunder was raining down on my home. And I'll I could think about was Hinata who lay on the ground as bullets rained down.

"Naruto!" Choji called from the house. I heard a bullet ring out stunning my ear but pulling my body awake. Those stupid idiots! Their attacking now? I glanced at the attic of our building. They still after that?

I heard a small moan of pain and a little hiccup.

"Get inside now!" Sakura hollered. Another discharge of a gun.

I glanced down, Hinata was curled up in a ball, her hands covering her ears. She flinched at each gunshot. Did they- another gunshot snapped me out of it and I bent down picking her up as softly as I could and running back to the Shack. Hinata cried out with each step I took and with each gunshot, she pressed her hands hander onto her head. As if she could take away all the noise.

Choji held open the door for me while I ran inside and gently laid her on the couch. Outside you could hear the gunshots, but everyone was in here. Guns in hands and bulletproof vests on.

"Hinata!" TenTen yelled. She rushed over and sat beside the girl. Hinata hadn't moved at all since I picked her up. She remained curled in a tight ball. "Hinata, let me take a look." TenTen pleaded with her.

I felt something wet and sticky on my hand. I glanced down and fell to the floor. Blood. Hinata's blood."Naruto," Gaara caught me and looked at my hand. "Sakura, check out Hinata she's hurt." He helped me stand up and slapped my cheek a little. "Stay with me man! They're still attacking us, we have to go out there." He glanced over to Hinata who Sakura was slowly curling away from her retrieve. "You're men need you, we need you out there Naruto. She'll be fine."

I glanced over to his sea green eyes and nodded stiffly. "Go," my voice crocked and I tried again steadier this time, "go get my stuff. Hurry before they push through here." Gaara nodded and rushed off.

I walked over to Hinata and bent down. Sakura and TenTen had gotten her to lie straight but she would still not take her hands away from her ears. Her right shoulder was bleeding, dripping blood onto the couch and her left leg was also bleeding, the bullets had gone clean through. Her face was unhealthily pale and her eyes were tightly closed. Occasionally she would whimper.

"Hinata?" I'm so sorry! "I need you to put your hands down. Can you do that?"

Slowly she opened her eyes, tears fell down her cheeks her pale eyes drenched in pain, and she shook her head. I sighed and TenTen sighed next to me.

"TenTen, go help the others, Choji can't hold them for long." I glanced at her before turning back to Hinata.

"But-"

Another gunshot sounded off and Choji cried out. "Someone go out there and help him!" I shouted and that set people in motion.

"I'll be back Hinata." TenTen said and rushed out the hall. I looked over. Please Choji be okay. Everyone, be okay.

"Hinata, please put down your hands." Sakura pleaded.

I then got an idea. "Hey Hinata." I dug in my pocket and pulled out my IPod. I glanced over quickly and spotted the old time-y huge headphones that cushioned around your ears. I had bought them because the design on them made them look like burgers. I grabbed them and plugged them in, scooting them under her hands until they were firmly planted around her ears.

"Listen to that okay? You'll be fine." I said, pressed play, and ran off grabbing my gear from Gaara as I went.

"Naruto, it's Sound." Choji groaned. Lee was bringing him back in and he held his arm painfully.

I nodded my head. Don't worry Choji, I'll beat Teme up personally when I get my hands on him.

**####**

**No idea 0.0 anyway, if you still like it tell me please! Lol**

**I have no idea what I'm doing:) but, I'll have fun with it if ya'll like it:)**

**Please review, thanks for reading**

**~Signing off Skye~**


	3. Chapter 3

**See I first wanted to write this fanfic out of boredom, then I just wanted to put the song in it. :) don't know why. But that was basically the whole point for me. Lol. And why did I put the song in it? Because it inspired this chapter! XD I felt it should be commemorated or something. Really, there wasn't much point. I could have just said she was listening to "Kiss the Girl" or "S&M" or something. Idk. Lol. :)**

**Please review**

**Song: Where's The Love?**

**By: Black Eyed Peas**

**Do NOT own Naruto**

**~Singing in Skye~**

Ch. 3

Sometimes

*Hinata*

It hurt so much! I couldn't even began to describe the feeling of something entering my body and twisting out of it. For a brief moment, I didn't even know it had happened till it was gone. I whimpered when I heard the gunshots, but when Naruto placed the headphones over my ears, all sound was gone.

I could feel Sakura's soft hand touching my wounds. It hurt so bad! I closed my eyes and forced myself to focus on the song. Just praying I could pass out. But each random twitch or even the soft touch of Sakura sent my body on high alert.

Again I forced myself to focus on the song. If I had any sense of humor right now, I'd laugh at the lyrics I was hearing.

**What's wrong with the world, mama**

**People livin' like they ain't got no mamas**

I cried out as Sakura touched another wound and opened my eyes. Lee was bringing in a hurt Choji. Sakura turned and called something to them, but I couldn't follow.

**I think the whole world addicted to the drama**

**Only attracted to things that'll bring you trauma**

I closed my eyes and focused on the song again. Then remembered, that gleam in the bush. I remember seeing cold red eyes, straight through the bush, but he looked like he was crying. Then why do it?

**Overseas, yeah, we try to stop terrorism **

**But we still got terrorist here livin'**

**In the USA, the big CIA fightin'**

**The Blood and The Crips and the KKK**

Who's fighting who? There all out their fighting each other! And why? It hurts so much! I cried out as Sakura wrapped something around my leg.

**But if you only have love for your own race**

**Then you only leave space to discriminate**

**And to discriminate only generates hate**

**And when you hate then you're bound to get irate, yeah**

**Madness is what you demonstrate**

**And that's exactly how anger works and operates**

"_It's dangerous to be in a gang, but I didn't see any way to keep everyone safe. I just wanted something to call my own. I'm not even sure why they joined or stayed when things went downhill and we got caught in the wars." _I could still hear Naruto. Who could he make so mad for this? Who could hate him? All he wanted was something to call family, to call home. Some things are just sad.

**Man, you gotta have love just to set it straight**

**Take control of your mind and meditate**

**Let your soul gravitate to the love, y'all, y'all**

I started to giggle and felt a hand on my forehead. Naruto would have this song. It's just him! I opened my eyes again to let new tears fall before closing them again.

**People killin', people dyin'**

**Children hurt and you hear them cryin'**

**Can you practice what you preach**

**And would you turn the other cheek**

**Father, Father, Father help us**

**Send some guidance from above**

'**Cause people got me, got me questionin'**

**Where is the love**

I opened my eyes again, Sakura was speaking to me. But things became fuzzy and even the lyrics blurred out. I had to ask Naruto about this song, I liked it. _'That's a stupid thing to think about.' _Sakura was tiring to speak to me again. Sorry Sakura. I'm tired.

*Sakura*

Hinata was a little off her rocker. Giggling randomly and mumbling to herself, but I fully expected something like that. With deep practiced breaths, I wrapped her bleeding wounds, she had long since passed out but I left the ridiculous headphones on her head and went over to check Choji.

His arm was bad, the bullet had gone through his arm near the bottom, between the bones and somehow down to his hip. Lodged in there. A sniper shot with a pistol probably.

I could still hear the battle out there. Sound wanted something from us. Something Naruto, Sasuke and me stole once. And we were not giving it back. They played street gang with the rest of us, but someone there was sick and twisted. They were plans to destroy Konoha. Full proof plans that should have been burned, but we couldn't burn it. Touching it made you sick as if the dark aura it emanated was putrid and foul. Right now, it was in a tight little briefcase.

I glanced at Hinata and Choji who was quickly losing consciousness. Maybe it's time to give it to Tsunade.

Shika rushed back in dragging a girl with long hair behind him. Looks like he lost his gun.

"Bastard!" He pushed her roughly to the floor and she gave a manly groan. That's when I realized it was Neji! "Finally, caught one after two months of plans. Troublesome." He huffed in one breath. He glanced from Hinata to Choji and walked over to him standing above me.

"They need a hospital." I informed him.

He nodded. "Hey Choji, they're leaving, we'll get you two in a nice hospital soon."

Choji looked at him with glazed eyes, "And hospital pudding?" He asked quietly.

I giggled and placed a hand on his shoulder before checking on Hinata. "Yes," Shika chuckled. "Hospital pudding."

Soon the shooting came to a slow stop and Naruto bust in huffing. His eyes foreign and angry. His hand still had Hinata's blood and he looked like he got into a fistfight. He spotted Neji on the floor and went to kick him.

"Naruto!" He turned to me and placed his foot down, calming down. I thanked god it wasn't Gaara in the mood, I turned to see him walking in calmly. Gaara was harder to calm down the Naruto. "We need to get them to the hospital now!"

He glance from Hinata to Choji and stiffly nodded his head.

"Somebody stay with this stupid teme, Shika, Temari, I leave you in charge of punishment and questioning." He glanced to Hinata. "Everyone knows that you're not supposed to shoot newbie's. They're off limits." His face suddenly fell.

"Pull it together, get Choji." I said, "Lee, help him please." Lee nodded and helped Naruto carry Choji out to Gaara's car. Ino came up to me and carefully as I was, picked her up and helped me get her in the car to.

"Good job billboard brow." She mumbled. I looked her over, she had broken a few nails, her lip was cut, and she had a large scrape on her bare arm.

"Not too bad Ino-pig."

"Hurry Sakura." Garra motioned to the open door. I nodded and stepped in. Turning my focus to Hinata and Choji, whose bleeding hadn't slowed down.

"Naruto?" I said in a strained voice.

"Yes?" He turned around. The chairs had been pushed down so that both Hinata and Choji could lie down. "Help me stop the bleeding."

I held a hand tightly against Choji's wounds and he gave a small groan of pain. "Sshh," I soothed, "It'll be okay." Gaara turned on the emergency lights and sped off to the hospital.

"Umm," Naruto crawled into the back uncomfortably and glanced at Hinata.

"Stop her bleeding." I hissed softly and he placed a hand on each wound. "A little harder, press down, remember?" He nodded and looked at me stunned.

"Newbie's shouldn't be hit, that's the rules." He seemed shocked.

I felt sad to. A while ago, our two gangs made a truce, no hitting newbie's. If one thing we agreed on, kind of, was that losing people early in the game before they even knew it, was wrong.

"Looks like they don't care anymore." Naruto nodded and pressed a little harder on Hinata's wounds. She gave out a cry.

"We're almost there Hinata." He cooed. "And when you're better, I'll let you slap Neji hard as you want."

I gulped. _'Neji, she's you cousin! Why not at least warn her?' _I looked over my friends.

"Gaara, can you speed up!" Naruto shouted over his shoulder.

"Going fast as I can safely." He mumbled back. Naruto sighed and leaned his head down. I didn't tell him I saw his tears. Naruto was a brave boy, a man if you think of his harsh life. And we've all seen him cry, but still; if he's not looking at you with wide blue eyed tear filled eyes, it's best not to bring it up. I don't think I'll ever tell him I saw his tears land silently as feathers on Hinata's arm.

*Neji*

I groaned opening my eyes to a clean white room and a bright light above me.

"Eh!" Someone squealed. "Everyone, he's awake!" Ino? She squealed again. Oh yeah, that's Ino. I winced as my head pounded and then I felt the fist in my gut. I gasped and coughed grabbing for air.

"You damn little idiot!" Temari yelled at me. I glanced up now to see only some of the gang there. How did I end up here again? I glanced at Shika standing calmly next to the fuming blond.

'_Ah, him. Master of Shadows caught the All Seeing Eye. There goes my reputation. Not to mention I'm going to be hit by the Wind Queen, just be thankful her stupid metal fan is broken.' _It was said that she once controlled the Suna's head gang with a giant metal fan that when she moved made the wind swipe by you so fast it cut you. Also many story's of some very unfortunate guys who try to make it to second base.

"You realize what you did!" TenTen shouted from the sidelines. I looked over. TenTen, my heart ached. Beside her was Ino, and on the other side Lee and Kiba beside him.

"It's war, people get hurt." I didn't try to hurt them purposely. But, I needed that money I received from sound. And I was worried if they would carry through with their threats. Me and Saskue, the stuck up brat, had something in common for once. **(A/N: *cough*icecubes*cough* they have a lot in common) **

Temari aimed her fist at me again hitting me in the face this time. So hard the chair I was tied to fell down with a bang. My head hit the floor and I let out a grunt while Shika lifted me back up.

"So, after the plans?" He asked me. Of course. Those stupid things. Only Orochimaru and Kabuto could touch it without the side affect, whatever poison was on it wouldn't harm them.

Like I said, I needed the money. How else was I to help my family? Hinata. Her dad wasn't the one who sent her money, it was me. He sent money to the family that took care of her, but they didn't use it _for _her. Or like today when he never gave her the lunch money. That wasn't an accident. I refused to let him pay for me as well. For anything. I didn't want to live off his money, I bought my own things. Gang money came in handy. When paid to betray you're old gang.

"What's it to you Shika?" I sneered. Temari again punched me. I felt blood gush out my nose. Warm and wet and uncomfortable.

"Nothing at all. Did you know you shot a newbie?" She yelled slapping my cheek. I grimaced. Shooting a newbie, I was in for a world of pain. Especially when the Kyuubi gang was more about keeping friends safe.

But wait, Sasuke was in charge of shooting the first bullet. Did he shoot the newbie? On purpose? It was supposed to be aimed for Naruto. Naruto was out main threat, he could burn those documents, he could give them to authorities, but he didn't. They were what kept us at bay. The idiot was smart sometimes, if he held those documents over an open fire and said jump, Sound would jump, just to see them unharmed. But he could hold it there his whole life till someone was smart enough to push him in the fire and save the document. No one has succeeded yet. And if we go after precious people, the possibility is he'll destroy them.

That's only if the friend is killed, most likely to happen with the sickos in Sound. Then again, if a friend was taken, he'd give those up. It'd be over. No one seemed able to comprehend that simple fact, and I wasn't letting on to it.

"I was just supposed to lead a small distraction on the left." I shrugged. "No biggie."

Shika sighed and stepped back a little before Temari loomed over me, suddenly very frightening. "No biggie?" She pushed me back in the chair and then pulled me back up painfully by my hair. "This was an equal truce not to shoot newbie's!" She sighed and yanked up pulling a few strands of my hair.

"Stupid girly Neji." Kiba barked out his dog joining. Temari started to laugh at this as the two traded new nicknames for me.

Shika sighed and glared at Temari. "We are supposed to be working here, not laughing. Should I get the knife?"

I glanced at him quickly and Temari pointed a finger, and laughed at him. Weird people. "For me or for her?" I grumbled sarcastically.

Shika glanced between us and sighed lazily. "Haven't decided yet." That shut up Temari's laughter. She glared at him.

"Remember Tema, take your anger out on Neji!" Ino shouted helpfully. Temari turned her glare to me and proceeded to punch and kick me.

"You damn idiot! Do you know who you guys even shot!" She yelled as she yanked my hair again. Shika sighed at sat down.

"So much for interrogation." He mumbled.

"You shot your own cousin!" My heart stopped cold. "You shot Hinata!"

I coughed as she released her hands that had been choking me. "H-Hinata?" I was shocked. More than shocked. I never thought she would hang out with a gang, let alone _join _one.

They were all glaring at me. "Yeah." Shika mumbled again standing up. "What a drag this is." He scratched the back of his head. "Your gang shot her."

"That's…" I stared at them wide eyed. "How is she?" I yelled suddenly. "Take me to her now!"

"You're in no place to be ordering us Hyuga." Shika growled.

"You don't get it!" I yelled at them. Her father.

Temari looked at me. "What, you guys sent her there to begin with. Why should you get to see her?"

"Because you don't have to worry about me hurting her." I glared at them then realized my poor choice of words. "At least, not intentionally."

"Pft!" Kiba barked out. "Yeah right."

I glared at them again. "Then will you be willing to protect her from-!" I shut up then. I couldn't tell them about her father. Hinata wouldn't want me to. It wasn't like he abused her, he neglected her. But I had seen it a few times, not enough for anyone to notice, but enough to hurt. Hurt her.

"Protect her from what missy!" Temari stood above me now, cracking her knuckles. I ignored the fact that she called me a girl.

Should I tell? If they won't let me go to her, will Hanabi do something? No, they don't have that sister bond. Hanabi doesn't know what to think of an outcast and is afraid that her father will love Hinata more than her and abandon her next. I growled to no one in particular. I hated this!

"Let. Me. Go. See. Hinata!" I bite out finally.

"Nope." Shika sounded bored but he studded my with intelligent eyes. "It'd be such a drag to explain why we had to let you go. _This _is all a drag."

I sighed. I really didn't want to say it.

"What do we need to protect her from Neji?" Temari had calmed down some.

Please. I didn't want to say that word! I wasn't some weakling! But then I thought of Hinata, lying in a hospital bed, shot, hurt; by my gang. I could picture her father, taking her home before she was healed, beating her, a slap to the cheek, a punch, well hidden bruises that made you wonder if her beat her more than just occasionally. He would hurt her weak body that was already in need of a hospital.

I shook my head, I wasn't about to let it happen. "Please. Let me see her."

The others mumbled and I shot my gaze down from Shika and Temari.

"If you tell us what you're trying so hard to protect her from." He said.

"Didn't do a good job protecting her from his gang." Temari mumbled.

"Her…" I paused.

"We'll go with you and help." Shika commented.

I gulped. "From her father."

*Naruto*

No one questioned a glance to us when we arrived at the hospital. The hospital was almost a second home. More or less from clumsy falls and inner fights. Like Sakura and Temari with their temper or that one time Gai gave Lee some medicine for a sprained ankle, were never letting him get a hold of beer in his life. Some for gang matters. Just in and out in and out.

Sakura turned wide green orbs eyes to us, scared but determined. "I'll go get Tsunade, okay? Be careful with them!" She ran ahead of us and we had to come in a little bit slower.

I had Hinata on my back, her head leaned into my shoulder, and I could feel the fire it radiated. She and Choji both had high fevers now. Gaara was carefully taking Choji in on his own back. Choji had lost a lot of fat over the years, but now we was muscle chubby. Didn't take away the heavy factor.

I soon saw a blond and a pinkett running to us down the hall with stretchers, talking in that hospital mumble jumbo I'll never get. But I did catch other words as I laid Hinata down on one stretcher and Choji on the other. 'Loss of blood,' 'high fevers.' Simple words a simpleton like me understood.

Then they were rushed off in the quick-paced blur of the hospital world leaving me and Gaara to wait in the waiting room. No one to help us calm down but each other, no one to come in and say, 'It's alright honey, you're friend will be okay, I'm glad you're safe!' No one but each other.

I glanced over to Gaara, my friend. Sometimes, each other was all we needed. So I sat down beside him and stared off into space. I rambled on and on about ramen. Gaara listened. I spoke the same sentences every time we made the trip here. Instead of breaking down and crying, I spoke of my favorite food. As if speaking of it would help everyone feel better. Even me. He listened patiently, not a word. His silence an encourager for me to continue, because if I stopped, we'd both break.

Sometimes, all we want is a miracle. Sometimes, all you can do is pray. Sometimes, there's nothing you can do and sometimes there's no one to care. Yeah, sometimes each other was all we needed, just to pass the time away, in this same hospital where life could pass you by. With a single beep.

**########**

**Okay, new chapter! I hope you like :) I've gotten good responses I'm proud to say! Thos comments are my confidence…ehehehe, and some lessons at the same time. **

**Please review:) thank you for reading! Next chapter…hhmmm…idk what to do! :O **

**Lol. I'll figure it out. :)**

**~Signing out Skye~**


	4. Chapter 4

**I love how this is turning out :) thank you all for the reviews! XD**

**Also, I don't always like my own work, but I absolutely **_**love**_** the last paragraph from the last chapter. '**_Sometimes, all we want is a miracle. Sometimes, all you can do is pray. Sometimes, there's nothing you can do and sometimes there's no one to care. Yeah, sometimes each other was all we needed, just to pass the time away, in this same hospital where life could pass you by. With a single beep.'_

**Just love it. Lol**

**Do NOT own Naruto**

**To explain some of the neji Hinata move…**

**Neji and Hinata moved from Konoha when Neji was 7, Hinata 6,. Neji moved back at 12, TenTen came into the picture about a yr later for Hinata, that would make Hinata 12 then, then TenTen moved after that year and Hinata moved a year later. At 14 her current age. **

**Please review**

**~Signing in Skye~**

Ch.4

Promise to Protect

*Naruto*

"Dude, wake up." Shikamaru? What the heck was he doing here? No, better yet, when did I fall asleep?

"Sick him boy!" Kiba chuckled. I felt something wet on my face and scrambled up, tripping over the white furry beast.

"Gah!" I shouted. "I'm up I'm up!"

A few nurses shushed me from the sides. Blushing with embarrassment, I turned to my companions. Gaara raised an invisible eyebrow.

"Yeah, thanks for waking me." I grumbled.

"You've only been asleep for twenty minutes." He added calmly. "No one had come to tell us anything so I didn't see the need to wake you." He pointed to the gang before us. "Then they ran up here."

I turned around. "Yo, what are you guys doing here, shouldn't you be guarding Neji-teme?" I looked at each of them then noticed the shockingly long, girly brown hair, and a set of pale eyes.

"Neji!" I gaped wide mouthed at the boy surrounded by my friends, keeping him contained in a tight circle. "What?" I turned to the others. "He- what- hu?"

Ino sighed. "You explain Shika, you have more patience then me."

"What a drag."

"Explain you lazy butt."

"Hey guys!" We turned around to Sakura's winded voice. She ran up, glancing once at the big group and glaring at Neji. She turned back to me with happy green eyes and red cheeks. "They'll both make it."

"Wahoo!" Kiba and me did a chest pound and Lee hugged TenTen happily.

"Shush you dolts!" Sakura shushed us. "Any way's, they'll be fine. A week or two in the hospital for the wounds to heal some, then they can head home safely without fear of the wounds reopening. With some gentle handling of course."

"Great!" I laughed happily and shot her my winning smile. "Can we see them?"

"If you're all very, and extremely quiet!" She glared before calming down. "They both still have fevers and we don't want to stress them."

"Deal." Temari said, giving everyone a warning glance.

"And, what is he doing here?" I pointed with an angry glare.

"I'm here to see my little cousin."

"You shot her."

"I didn't pull the trigger."

"It was you're gang!"

"Hn."

"Don't you dare!"

"Shut it!" Sakura hit me on the head and TenTen hit Neji. "Now be quiet. Both of you." She sighed, took a deep breath and her chest puffed out then she breathed out and her shoulders slumped in relaxation. "What is he here for Shika, I know you wouldn't do this without reason to."

"He has some interesting information that could keep her safe."

"Yeah, from her priss of a father, that's what." Temari growled.

"What?" I stared at Neji now who seemed truly uncomfortable. "What's her dad have to do with this?"

Neji sighed. "Just, keep him away from her while she heals. This won't go down well at all."

I gazed at him and his shifted again. "He won't like being called out of work for something like this."

"Like this?" TenTen glared at Neji. "_This_ is his daughter's life here were talking about. _This_ isn't some trivial matter."

Neji looked down glumly. "Not for Uncle. He is a hard man to please, even more so for his daughters. Hinata, is nothing in his eyes. Just someone to hurl cruel words at and a slap or two." Neji glared at the floor.

Fast as I could, I pushed him to the ground and lifted up his top half by the nape of his shirt. "And you don't stop this! You little-"

"I can't!" He yelled, glaring at me with sad eyes. "Once in my life, I felt as much hate to her as I did her father, but now, it's not like that." I snarled. "If I do anything to upset that _man_ I will not be able to get near either of my baby cousins. Do you get that? Who will care for Hinata then, let her know that in the entire world she's not alone, not hated and wanted by someone? Who will be there if he suddenly decides Hanabi isn't the prodigy he wanted after all? Who! Tell me who if I'm not there!" That was the most I've ever heard him say and he honestly sounded hurt.

I backed off then and stood up. Still weary off the traitor boy. He glared at me and stood up to. "Hinata hasn't lived with him because of such reasons, and when I started showing potential, he took me away from her."

"Leaving her with those rude head members?" TenTen asked. I forgot she and Hinata knew each other before this.

Neji nodded glumly. "Yeah, council wanna-be's."

"Fine, you can see her."

"Will you keep her father out?" He looked down uncomfortably again.

"Umm…yeah." I shrugged. "How hard can that be?"

"Legally," Ino said, "we can't do such a thing, and there is no proof on anything."

"What do you mean?" I gaped. "If he's a bad dad then he shouldn't be here anyways, and if he comes here we just kick him out." I grinned. "Sound like a plan?"

Kiba gave a small howl of delight and the others sighed. "No Naruto. We have no proof but the word of Neji, and the word of a gang member counts for nothing. Honest as it is." Sakura explained.

"He has every right to her. As his daughter." Shika mumbled. "I know it's a drag, but that's how the world rolls."

I glared at the ground. None of it made sense. Not a lick of it. How come there were parents that dotted on children, choosing a favorite, then ignoring another? I'm sure my parents never wanted to leave me, and I know I don't know anything about them. But, I can't get the fact in my head, that some families would be so horrible to each other.

"Come on you guys, but be quiet okay?" Sakura told us with a finger to her soft lips.

"K." We all responded.

"And Naruto?" Tsunade walked from behind Sakura. "After this I'll need to have a word with you." I groaned.

"Not only does baa-chan get drunk at school and yell at me, who needs her to get drunk at a hospital and yell at me?" I paused. "Is that even aloud?"

Suddenly I shot off in front of everyone. "What if she was drunk while taking out the bullets out of Hinata and Choji?" I glanced back at Tsunade. Was she wobbling a little? "Oh no!" I rushed off.

"Naruto you idiot get back here!" Sakura yelled.

"Don't worry Hinata, Choji!" I called out. "I'll make sure baa-chan didn't hurt you!"

Something pounded into me and I skidded on the floor and smacked into the wall somehow rendering me upside down on my head and dazedly looking at an extremely peeved old but young blond lady.

'_Crud! She'll kill me this time!'_

She glared down at me. "Hehe, hey baa-chan, what's up?" I sat up and rubbed my sore head.

The others came running up huffing out of breath.

"You idiot!" Temari growled.

Shikamaru glared at me. "Man, how troublesome you are."

"I'll take that as a complement."

"Dude! Fist at 12:00!" Kiba and Lee warned me with wide eyes.

"Wha-?" Bam! Tsunades hand hit my face and pushed me once again into the wall.

"Naruto, shut your trap and be quiet!" She shot at me. I pulled myself up from the ground and grinned.

"Always."

She sighed and rubbed her temples. "You're such a headache."

"I know it!" I laughed and then remembered my mad dash to Choji and Hinata.

"You weren't drunk were you?"

Tsunade glared. "No I was not you idiot."

"Good." I sighed in relief and took off walking to their room following an exasperated Sakura while the others trailed behind.

"That's all you were whining about?" Temari gave me that 'you're-insane-look.'

I chuckled. "Yeah?"

"You're an idiot." Neji mumbled.

"An idiot who at least tried to save you're dear little cousin." TenTen scowled at him.

"Yeah, what did you do?" Kiba barked.

"It is rude to be loud in a hospital Kiba." Shino said quietly.

"But to be loud is to be Youthful!"

"Not like that Lee," Ino explained. "Be quiet today, today, quiet is youthful."

"Oh."

Tsunade stopped at a room and waiting for us to all crowed around. "Now be quiet or I'll kick you all out the window."

Raised my hand and she sighed once again. "Yes Naruto." She gave me a weary look.

"Aren't we on the third floor?" The third floor always had a room for us. She smiled now, creepy as our female gym teacher Anko.

"Yes we are Naruto." She opened the door and ushered us in. "Now keep that in mind."

With a gulp, I stepped inside and the others behind me. Quickly I forgot about the impending danger and only focused on the two lumps hidden under hospital white covers.

Choji was first in front of us and unsurprisingly it was Ino and Shika who ran up to him first. The three had always been seated near each other in school, their families hung out together, therefore the three were almost destined friends from birth. His face was pale and his chest rose in steady breaths.

Tsuande and Sakura both went to check on him, commenting now and again. I looked him over. A thick bandage was on his arm. I couldn't see anything else but normal scrapes.

"He'll be fine." Sakura turned to me with a smile. "Fever is still high, but going down, and he's all sown up. He'll probably have some difficulty walking for a while and his arm will hurt. You know the drill." She laughed and nudged Ino. "Don't look so pale girl. He won't die." Ino glared and patted Choji's hand.

"Um, Sakura." Neji's voice came behind the curtain and the rest of us shifted over to Hinata's bed. "What about Hinata?"

I looked her over. Hinata's normally pale cheeks were red now instead. Her long hair spread against and around the pillow and a hospital shirt reviled the bandage over her shoulder. She shuffled a little in her sleep, nightmare maybe. I listened to the heart monitor beeps of my two friends. Beep, beep, beep, beep.

"Much the same as Choji. She'll have difficulties lifting things and moving her leg to. The bullets went clean through and it'll hurt." Sakura grimaced and rubbed her leg, ghost pains from when she had been shot. "Nothing major was hit though. Her fever is going down at a slower rate." She paused. "Neji, she's not allergic to any medicine is she?" I never thought to ask that! We all knew each other's allergies and what not, so it never mattered before.

Neji shook his head and stared at his cousin. I had never seen such a worried look before on his usually stoic face.

"No, she's not. She just takes a little longer to heal sometimes after _that _incident."

"What incident?" Tsunade stepped up and rolled the curtain to the side.

He stepped back guiltily. "I once hated the head family, didn't matter who. And in a fit of anger, I took it out on her." I growled. "Damaged her heart."

"And we let him in to see her?" I scoffed.

"She's healed now, nothing to worry 'bout her heart. Just, she heals a little slowly now is all. She caught a cold during that time and that slowed down her immune system." He turned to TenTen. "That's about when you arrived and when I moved away. Her dad thought I had done something worthwhile I guess."

I sighed and patted the small girls head. "Don't worry Hinata. I'll let you kick his sorry butt from here to timbucktoo when you can." I laughed. Neji smirked but didn't comment.

Sakura smiled. "Then all she needs is a little help to build her immune system back up. I can do that." Sakura turned to Tsunade for permission.

"Go ahead. You have my say so to use the herb room."

"Now what?" Lee wondered aloud.

"Now we let them sleep." Tsunade grinned at us. Then she turned her eyes to me and pointed at Hinata. "We need to have a talk about the recruitment. I thought I said no more."

I gulped. "You did." Kiba chuckled. "But she's an old friend from here and all."

She sighed. "I give up. Let's just go fill out the normal paperwork, Sakura, please come with and keep this boy here calm."

"Yes ma'am."

*Hinata*

It's so noisy. Was that Hanabi playing her radio? No, people were talking. Did I leave on my radio? No.

"Aww! Baa-chan!" The loud voice cut through my head and a sharp pain pounded against my skull. As if I were sick. "I'm not that ba-"

"Be quiet you idiot!" Another voice, mad, but quiet.

"Come on, let's get this damn paper work over with."

I opened my eyes a crack, thankful that the lights outside were dim. A flash of blond started to walk away. My breath hitched up a notch. Naruto. Now I could feel it, pain. Dull right now, but pain nonetheless. I was in the hospital! I opened my eyes and fought to sit up.

"Hinata!" TenTen. I glanced over and she walked up to me and grabbed my hand. She started to cry crocodile tears.

"Te-TenTen." I leaned back into the bed, to tried and groggy with the world spinning around me to do much else. I fought to get my panicked breathing under control.

Nartuo rushed back to the bed and his face flashed into focus. He opened his mouth wide to scream, thought better of it, and spoke quietly. "Hinata! You're up! Eh? You don't look so good. Why's your breathing all funny an' all?" His eyes went wide. "Sakur-"

The pinkett placed a hand over his mouth and a blond lady, the principle, walked up to me. How many jobs did this lady have! She smiled and placed a hand on my chest.

"Breath Hinata, you're safe now." She took a few deep breath, motioning me to follow. Slowly I caught on to the pace and took some deep breaths. The world swimming into focus with the oxygen.

"All better?"

"Y-yes, Tsuande-sama, t-thank you." I tried to sit up but the pressure on my chest increased and she held me down.

"No, just lay down, you're sick right now. Not to mention you'll probably fall asleep again soon."

"Oh. O-Okay."

"Good. Sakura, Naruto, I'll be in my office." She walked out the door.

"Hinata-sama." I turned my head and looked at Neji. I smiled at him as he stepped forward and grabbed my hand. Naruto let an angry 'hmph' soundfrom behind Sakura's hand and fought to get out. He didn't look to happy with Neji.

"Neji-nii-san." He sat on the bed and I leaned my head onto his shoulder and I managed a whisper.

"Does dad know?" Nervously I looked at the others, they all stared back from me to Choji who still slept in the other bed. Know though, he was talking about BBQ chips.

"Oh! Don't worry about your dad Hinata." Naruto shot out from Sakura's hand and stood beside TenTen on my left. He still glared at Neji.

My mouth must have been opened like a fish because Shika decided to explain. "Neji told us your dad won't be cool with this."

"That you'd get in trouble?" Ino asked.

Neji shrugged. "I had to, I can't keep you safe from him on my own. Hinata."

I looked away. I didn't want anyone to know my father neglected me. He wasn't abusive. Only occasionally, was I ever slapped or hit, and I probably deserved it for something or other. But I didn't want anyone to know.

A buzz sound came from Neji's pocket. He sighed. "That must be him. Hinata, let me go meet up with him and try to calm him down. Okay?"

I squeezed his hand. I didn't want to be left alone in the hospital! Even if I was with my friends. I wouldn't be able to handle their questions.

"Don't worry Hinata." Naruto smiled at me. "I promise, I'll stay right here by your side while this ice-cube is gone."

Neji grunted and glared but I knew he had relaxed knowing that. Somewhere in my memories as a kid, I can remember a small little Naruto, fighting the people who picked on him at school. He told them, _"I'll beat you guys one day! I promise! I'll be everything you say I'm not! I'll have more friends then you and they'll like me for me! I'll be great! I'll be strong and I'll beat you! I never go back on my word!" _A few weeks later, he beat them in a race. Naruto never said _how _he'd beat them. And now, he really does have great friends. Neji knew, he would not leave me here, to face the wrath of my father. I'm not sure what my dad would do to me.

Neji leaned over and kissed my forehead. "Sleep." He whispered, "You'll feel better." He obviously didn't care for the very loud and over exaggerated gasps of the group as he walked out. Naruto soon took up his spot beside me, sitting on the bed and talking on and on about ramen.

Choiji again mumbled in his sleep. "Please Ino! Give me back my chips…"

Ino sighed. "I'll go by some, the smell will call him down."

Temari smirked. "Oh yeah, stop teasing the poor boy, we all know you like him." Ino blushed. "Do not! I like Sai! And what about you dating a future bum?"

Temari laughed, "He's my future bum at least, pick a boy. Emo Sai, or sweet Choji."

"Troublesome fights."

The others drifted in and out of the conversations, but all I could feel now was the heat radiating off his body. I was glad for my hot red fever cheeks. Though TenTen knew, I could see the smirk on her face.

"Eep!" Naruto laid back and leaned me against his shoulder.

"I'ma steel some of your bed Hinata, you mind?" He grinned and the others sighed and snickered. "He rolled his shoulders. "My shoulders hurt."

"You fell on them from a tree," Kiba laughed, "be happy they aren't broken."

He laughed with him and his chest heaved up and down making my head slid down a little. But I didn't have the strength to hold my eyes open anymore, so I let their talk lure me back to sleep. But mostly, the musical sound of Naruto, and his whispered words into my ears.

"You know Hinata, I promise, I'll keep you safe." I liked that promise. Even if it was one that couldn't really be kept, the notion of it, it saved my heart. Which had never heard those words before.

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**Okay.**

**Here's this chapter. Next chapter we meet daddy! Yay! What type of dad do you think he'll be? Oh? Well…I already set the pace for that…sooo….lol.**

**Thanks for reading**

**Please review**

**~Signing in Skye~**


	5. Chapter 5

**/Here is another update! dang i'm on a roll! this is the last one for a while thow sadly.**

**please review:)**

**do NOT own Naruto**

**Signing in Skye**

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Ch. 5

The Man Called "Father"

*Hanabi*

Dad was angry. I've never seen him this mad before, it was as if her was on ther verge of insane. Then again, he _did _tell Hinata not to get into trouble. And where was she at? The hospital! She was in the hospital! It was her own fault to. But if I thought about it, what did she really do wrong. She never did anything wrong. Her only problem was being weak in a strong family. I didn't alway understand dad's anger, but sometimes it seemed misplaced.

Then my mind though of something that scared me. What if he actually hurt her this time? Sure it was fun to tease her, but ti physically hurt her? His pale eyes looked mad enough to do it just sitting in the car, and it only esscalated as we walked down the light green hopsital halls. The anger level was so bad people mooved out of the way. Even I wanted to run!

"Uncle!" I turned to see Neji at the end of the hall. He stood tall and firm and alert of my dad's ever single twitch. His pale eyes evaluated my fathers anger as we walked towards him.

"Neji, where is her room?" Dad bit out. A calm cold expression on his face which I mimicked.

He shook his head no, but I could see Neji's hand twitch. To defy dad was dangerous. Praticularly for a branch member. I didn't look foward to seeing him hurt Neji in either way shape or form. He was cool and helped me when I needed it. I actually liked Neji.

Fathers anger got the best of him and he lifted up my older cousin by his shirt, suspending him above the ground. I didn't -couldn't- say anything, I could only stand there like an idiot in mute scilence. Neji didn't falter though, he gazed into his eyes determined

Neji wouldn't give up Hinata that easily. He was protective of me and her. Even more so for my fragil older sister, who looked like the world could break her. He placed a hand on one of my fathers hadns. Just laid it there clamly while nureses and doctor rushed around unsure of what to do.

"Uncle, if you wish to see your daughter I cannot stop you. But first you _must _calm down."

For a minuet there was a standoff between them, Hyuuga eyes glaring at Hyuuga eyes. Then with a controlled sigh my dad put Neji back on his feet. And before I could blink, he had slamed Neji to the side and into a wall. So hard that when Neji slid to the ground, he didn't open his eyes.

I ran franticly to his side and checked him over to see if her was okay. Bending down I shook his shoulder. "Neji!" I tried to wake him. "Neji get up!"

"Hanabi." I looked up at my father, deperetly holding back tears. He didn't even turn to look at me. "Take him to the car. I'll be there in a minuet with your sister." He then walked away leaving everyone bemused.

"Han...abi?" Neji grogily opened his dazed eyes. _"What do I do?"_

*Naruto*

Hinata fell asleep leaning on my chest like a pillow. Her breathing coming out in quiet peacefull sighs.

"Naruto, we have to meet Tsunade." Sakura warned.

I alughed nervously and nodded my head at Hinata. "Yeah yeah," TenTen teased with a wide frin, "It's adorable so what about it?"

"How do i move her without waking her up!" I panicked with a slight blush. "What if I make her re-open a wound. Or- and then- you know- after that- and then that..." My words jumbled together and I couldn't finish a sentence. "An' then she bleeds to death!"

Some hit my ear and I had to bite my lip from crying out.

"You idiot." Sakura stood beside me. "Let me help lay her down." She finally giggled and her emerald eyes dazled amused at my predicament.

"Yes, get that gang banger filthy rift raft away from my daughter." My head shot up surprised at the angry voice. In the door way stood a tall man glaring at us with pale eyes. I looked him over. Long brown hiar lke Neji, pale Hyuuga eyes and a stuck up aditude. This was Hinata's dad.

"I'm taking her home."

Now Sakura stood defiently in front of him. "Sir, I'm afraid you can't do that. She has a high gever and her wounds are bad! She can't go home yet."

"TenTen, take Hinata." Slowly I slid out of my spot and TenTen held her before lawering her into a more comfortable position. Hinata only sighed, blissfully asleep and unaware.

"I have checked her out and the Hyuugas have finer doctors at home." He glared at his sleeping daughter.

_"Where the heck was Neji! Wasn't he supposed to calm this man down? Damn it Neji!"_

"She's sleepin' old man." I walked over to them, and afraid that he might Sakura I stepped in front of her. "And if you didin't notice, so is someone else." I pointed to Choji. Ino was idily patting his hand while looking at us with observant blue eyes.

"Stay away from my daughter you trash." Now I was really mad.

"Hey!" I growled at him. "Who are you calling trash!" Sakura stood behind me, tence and ready to gaurd Hinata.

"Naruto, Sakura." Shikamaru said to us as calmly as he could. "We have no rights to keep this man from his _child._" I sighed and forced my fist to stay by my sides. Taking a cue from me Sakura also back off. I gazed at Hinata worriedly.

We didn't have the rights, yet. But if Neji was right, then he would do something wrong. If he even dared to lay a hand on her, I'd beat him so bad he'd have to each out of a stray for the rest of his useless life. He was all the proof we would ever need to get her away from him. Him and his cold eyes. It was just a matter of timing.

He walked over to his faughter, a scowl glues to his face. When he reached out his hand I tennced waiting for a blow. Instead he took out the IV's and the heart monator on her finger. Lifted up the covers and then picked her up. It was so ood. Him carrying her like a child. Any other day I would have laughed,, but not this day. She lay there limp and weak as a rag doll, while he was the big dog wanting to rip her limb from limb. Without another word to us, he walked away and out the door.

"Damn! Damn! Damn!" I cursed, but without a something to punch I figured this wasn't the worse I could do right now. "How am I supposed to keep my promise to her? She shouldn't be with him, he's bad news." Sakura placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't worry." TenTen chocked out. I hadn't even noticed that she was crying. Temari being a good friend sat next to her and hegged her. Giving her a shoulder to cry on.

"He'll screw up." Kiba comented solemnly.

"And? How long do we have to wait for that!" I was ready to cry now. I couldn't get the picture of her limp figure in his strong arms out of my head. Those arms could crush her.

Maybe, maybe it would have been better to just leave her alone. Then none of us would be like this. Waiting and hoping, crying. _"No, Hinata would still be hurting if we had left her. Which is worse, a gun or an unloving dad?" _

Shika walked over to Ino and Choji, sitting back in a cahir. "He'll make his mistake soon. And then that's all the proof we'll need to keep her safe."

"So..." Gaara said calmly. "blackmail?"

"Cops maybe." Ino shrugged.

I started to laugh. "Blackmail sounds better."

"The possibilitys!" Temari laughed.

I smiled with them. Yeahm we'd get her back soon. But that doesn't mean I can't check up on her early does it?

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**done. :) with this chapter. lol**

**please review and i hoped y'all liked:)**

**ta:)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 :)**

**I'm really glad you all like it! Thank you so much, you all make my dayXD**

**please read and review:)**

**Do NOT own NAruto**

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Ch. 6

Fever

*Hinata*

I knew he was punishing me. There wasn't a waking moment that I didn't know. Laying in bed for five days, unable to move and in pain. I was being punished.

Occasionally I would cry out for help. My body burnt and froze and my wounds felt like someone stabbing me with a knife twenty-four seven. Father wasn't giving me enough of the prescribed medicine, barely enough to heal me and definitely not enough to sooth me. It was a relief whenever I passed out. _'How long must the torture go on!"_

"N-nii-s-san!" My voice was raspy and hoarse. Only Neji came in to calm me and place a wet rag on my burning head. And when he couldn't do it he sent in a kind branch member and twice it's been Hanabi. Though she wasn't sure what to do and fretted nervously around my lavender room making both of us feel extremely awkward.

"Nii-san!" I called a little louder making my head and body throb. Wet salty tears fell down my face and into my hair, gravity dragging them down.

The door creaked and I watched a small lean girl walk through before she shut the door behind her. Her bare feet padded over to my bed on the soft blue carpets and he shoulder length brown hair swished back and forth. Pale eyes darted around almost shyly. She walked to my bed, today she wore black jogging shorts and a green spaghetti strap shirt.

"Neji asked me to watch you." She looked out the window where the moon shined through illuminated her own pale skin with a slight tan from the sun. Hanabi still wasn't used to me, after all we had never been raised together as sisters. I'm not sure if she hated me, liked me, or pitied me. "He had to go out."

She shuffled her feet closer to the bed and placed a nice cool hand on my forehead. I then watched as she walked to my draws and dug around before popping back up with a new clean pair of pj's; my soft ones with the ducks on them.

"You're covered in sweat Hinata." I could feel my ragged breathing. "Let's get you cleaned and dressed." She turned back around and into my small bathroom, I could hear the water running before it creaked and turned off. She came back out with a bowl of cold water, a rag, my cloths and a towel.

"H-Hanabi?" I asked?

"Hm?" She pulled up my swirly black chair and sat by the bed, never looking me in the eye.

I started to cry again. "H-help." I didn't want to beg my little sister for help, I didn't want to look so pathetic in front of her, but I couldn't stop myself. It was all to much.

Hanabi didn't seem to listen as her small hands took off my blue blanket and folded near the bottom of the bed. Carefully she wriggled my pj pants off my legs and threw them carelessly aside. She dipped a red washcloth in the water.

"Okay, let's clean you off." The cold wash cloth felt nice against my feverish legs.

When she was done, she dried my legs and once again wriggled on the new clean pg bottoms. Hanabi laughed uncertainty.

"See, Neji can't do this," she unbuttoned my shirt and eased it off me with careful movements. Still I whimpered in pain. _"It hurts!" _"Don't worry, I'll be done in a minuet."

"H-h-hel-lp me H-Hanabi!" I begged her in a strained voice.

Again she ignored me. Instead I felt the cloth once again washing over my burning skin.

"Okay." She dried me off. "This might hurt." I looked at her young face, round with childhood but still straight and poised as my dad.

She snaked an arm under my back. "Take a deep breath." She warned. I did as instructed and she lifted me a little. With a gasp I leaned my head back and my mouth opened in a soundless scream. The moon swum above my head and I briefly wonder why my arm wasn't falling off. I couldn't even feel her pull the sleeves on my arms or when she laid me back down and buttoned my shirt with her delicate hands.

I finally drew in a raged breath and the world flashed white, sobs racked my body with flashes of pain. "P-pl-lease Hanabi!" I wanted out of here! The cold cloth touched my forehead. "N-no mo-ore."

The bead creaked and someone lay next to me. In shock I turned to see Hanabi lying down beside me. One arm wrapped around my waist as she scooted in closer, her other hand ran through my hair. She leaned her head against my good shoulder and whispered soft cooing noises.

"Sshh, sshh." She cooed. I cried. "I...I am sorry Hinata. You- I know you don't deserve this, dad's going to far." She shook her head and her hair tickled my skin. "Don't cry Hinata." Her voice sounded pleading but she once again hid her face from me.

Forcing my sobs to calm down into sniffle I tired to get my croaked voice to talk. "O-okay." It's funny, even now I didn't want to see this girl be sad even though I had ever right to be crying and every right to make her feel guilty. I didn't want to.

"I'm sorry." She repeated. "I can't take you out of here and I can't do anything to help your pain," she paused, "but I _can _be here for you. I'll stay right here until you sleep, Hinata-nee-chan."

Hanabi had never called me that, she had never even acknowledged me as her sister. "T-thank you." I was touched. Her soft comforting hands ran through my hair reminded me of a time when mom did that too, before she died and left us, before I felt that she abandoned me to a cruel fate. I was little then, and right now I felt like a small child again in Hanabi's arms and she soothed me. It made me sleepy. So I allowed my eyes to close and fall into sleep.

*Sakura*

"Come on guys! Let me outa here!" Naruto's muffled screams came from the basement inside the shack. He must be screaming bloody murder if I can here him outside. We caught him sneaking out to see Hinata.

Figuring he'd do something stupid, we locked him up. More or less. Naruto is to rash and for now we need to tread carefully.

"Sakura." I turned to the urgent voice, only his silhouette visible in the dark.

"Neji," I scolded, "Step under the porch light."

He stepped up. I took a good look a him. White shirt, blue jeans, all the norm for Neji. He just looked exhausted. His brown hair was messy and he had bags under his tired red shot eyes.

I sighed. "Here Neji." I handed him a small bottle. "Pills for her fever," I then handed him some herbs, "put this in her water, it'll help her sleep and sooth pain, it'll also help build up her immune system."

Neji gave me a shadow grin and placed the bottle back in my hand. "Thank you sakura. He dad will check me for pills so I can't give them to her, but I can easily lie about the herbs for my own need of sleep." I nodded sadly. _"Her stupid dad!"_

"The plan set for Sunday?" Sunday was three days away.

"Hn." He thought it over. "Yes, Hiashi will be gone, it's our only chance. And don't worry, no one will stop you guys." With a determined face Neji turned to leave.

"Will you go back to Sound?" I had to ask. I'd hate to be enemies again. He stopped mid stride.

"No, they broke their word." He walked away before I could ask what he meant.

So I settled for yelling after him. "Get some sleep Neji! You need to be operating right on Sunday!"

He waved a hand to show he understood the message and dispersed into the shadows. He was gone. I turned around to go inside again and join the others for the night. Mom thought I was at Inos, and Ino's mom thought she was at my house.

_"What deal did Neji cut with Sound? And...and did Sasuke make one too?"_

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_**I hope you all enjoyed the read! lol**_

_**please review. :)  
><strong>_


	7. Chapter 7

**Okay, here we go:) new chapter:) Check out my poll on my profile please! and vote! it's another possible one shot. XD**

**Do NOT own Naruto**

**Neji and Sasuke have been in the sound for a year! this is before that, when they joined. Or, when Neji joined;) can't give ya any big stuff yet can i? lol**

**Neji living with Hinata elsewhere- about 7-12; gang-12-14; sound 14-15 (present age)  
><strong>

**TenTen; with Hinata- 13-14; gang-14-15(present)  
><strong>

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Ch.7

Betray

*Few Years Back*

*Neji Age 14*

"Oi! Oi!" Someone was shouting in my ear, but not just any someone. A stupid blond by the name of Naruto. "Neji! Get off my couch! I want to watch TV!"

I grumbled and rolled off onto the floor with a thump. "Happy?" I growled and lay there, my eyes closed against the lights and my face sinking into the BBQ chip smelling plush blue floor. I wasn't entirely in a happy mood. Today I had been told by Hiashi he was proud of me. It made me sick. He was proud because I was passing, because I was a good influence on Hanabi...because I had hurt Hinata. It all seemed so long ago. But every time he said it, those words made my skin crawl and I could almost imagine it slowly peeling off my body.

"Yeah grumpy! Thanks!" Naruto plopped down above me and I felt a soft hand on my shoulder.

"You out working late?" I lifted my head, he voice was usually hard and determined was now soft with worry. Opening my eyes I stared into TenTen's beautiful brown big eyes as she gazed at me, her hair buns were red today.

Everyone knew I had a job. Sure, it wasn't to hard to make some money off the gang business, but since we didn't do illegal things -well, not that bad considering other gangs- we didn't always get a lot of money, we mostly just stole it from other gangs or worked and some of us had families to go home to at the end of the day unlike Naruto, Sasuke, Lee and TenTen who were orphans. Wards of the state, or of 'ward-of-old-people-land' as Naruto called it. Jiraiya lady Tsuande being the sort of adopted guardians. I was the only one though that actually seemed to need money, or not spend it. Every dollar earned by the gang was saved carefully and graciously before being spent on anyone or anything.

The money I earned from here as my fair share and my job helping in the construction field -not many people will willing take kids younger than sixteen- was sent to Hinata. The money I got from my uncle as an allowance was all carefully saved, I hated taking it, but I would until I squeezed what I needed out of him and could support myself fully. I guess sending Hinata money, it was more of retribution than anything else, but it did help her in the long run.

"Hn," I looked at TenTen and lifted myself up on my arms, "very long. Building a new house isn't entirely fun."

TenTen smirked. "What do you find fun?" She asked amused and I couldn't hide my grin from this wonderful girl in front of me, but I shot a playful glare at Naruto who was now watching -and this is no joke- the Spongbob Movie.

"Kicking his but." Naruto stuck his tongue out at me.

TenTen laughed with me and from the background I could hear the pounding of feet as the front door slammed open and the others started rushing in. TenTen sighed and motioned me to follow her, I did so willingly, ignoring everyone as they loudly barged in and started fighting over the TV.

"So, how is she?" TenTen asked curiously, walking in front of me in steady strides to her room, the hallway muffling out the shouts of our rowdy friends.

TenTen had arrived this year and slowly made close friends, or more like she was put in my division of the group. The 'focus' fighters Sakura told me once. Ino and Sakura were our healers, Shikamaru sniper, long shot distances, the general of sorts and he designed the game plan, Choji was a self proclaimed cook but he wasn't to bad with a gun and his punch was great for scaring other gangs -I actually find it sad that we even need gun, we're just kids after all, but a war is war, even if it's just to prove you exist in some part of the world- Sasuke was a fear striker, he had power, he was smart and he was strong, Naruto was the leader, stupid, but strong and he never backed down, he even knew how to use pranks to an advantage, he was the type of leader to fight along side his men, Kiba was up there with him and stupid in powerful, plus a dog, but he was strong and he was tricky, Gaara was our silent defender, hitting people off from the sidelines and so suddenly you would never know, Temari was our wind fighter, called such because each and every weapon she had was shaped like a fan, and the last thing you would feel before the pain would be a gust of wind, those two got money from their brother Kankuro who was content at being a toymaker down in Suna, Shino was silent, assassin, our person in the shadows, Lee was out speed fighter, he could take three to four guys down before they even knew it, TenTen was our weapons mistress, she knew the front and back ends of every weapon there was and could use it. Then me, a prodigy in natural fighting abilities, especially the style passed down in my owl clan. Me, Lee and TenTen stuck to our style and it worked.

"Fine," I smirked. It was four moths before TenTen told me she knew my cousin. "Wrote my a two page letter mostly in thanks for the money." I shrugged. "Usual."

"Ha. Always the same, I got one two, but it's private."

"Hn."

"Don't you want to ask?" TenTen quizzed and pushed open her dark green and purple door with a few kunai rammed in it before rushing to her bed and plopping down with a happy sigh.

"No."

"Sour pants. Not an ounce of curiosity." She grinned up at me before sitting on the edge of her soft green bed and patted the spot near her. "Sit sour pants."

I sat and glanced at her. Recently being around her had been strange, my chest would go tight and I could feel a blush creep onto my ears making them burn. What I didn't tell her was that I had actually asked Hinata about this and she had wrote me a third page on her thoughts.

Love. In love. _In love with TenTen._

"It's yours to withhold." She grumbled and punched my arm lightly. Her smile was radiant in the soft moonlight.

"Guys!" Lee busted open the door, pulling a black bullet proof vest over his green shirt. His brown eyes wide, bushy brows set in a serious line. "Shikamaru called from his revenue." we collected a sort of tax, but only those who asked for it. Protection. We had won a section of Konoha as our turf, and many people had run away to these sections getting dragged into gangs and harsh life. We didn't exactly pick the best side of town. But all those that had run here had left and drifted into other gangs or fruitlessly tried to rebuild theirs, those who stayed asked for protection from resentful old friends or what ever it was they were running from and promised loyalty in time of need, as well as a payment. We had to make money somehow. It was like they were living on out land and we were the landowners.

"And?" TenTen stood, pulling on hers and tossed me mine which I had grown into a habit of dropping of in here. _A nice habit._

"Red Mist is back." Red mist was rumored to be from the old Village Hidden in the Mist, and they took the tittle Red Mist because of their origins, and the blood they killed. Lately they had been threatening our turf, trying to fill our ground with their drug dealers and hurting those under our wing -not they didn't fight back- and pulling us into action.

"Crap." I growled.

"Shikamaru's out there alone!" TenTen grabbed a gun from a drawer and holster for some smaller weapons, then she grabbed a katana sword placed carefully on the was beside her bed.

"It's the calm people," I remind her, "he takes them all the time." I was in just as much of a hurry.

"Come on everyone! Hurry up!" Naruto called from down stairs.

"Coming!" We chorused, rushing down stairs, out into the night and into one of the two cars there. Rushing to help Shikamaru and who ever else decided to pick up arms and help him. But the Mist was truly terrifying.

*few hours later*

_Oh God! _I groaned and opened my eyes, I could still hear the scuffle of the fight outside. I tenderly turned my head and looked to the side, it hurt to move. My hair stuck to my face with blood.

When we arrived, we came upon and unusually active Shikamaru fist fighting it out with a Mist member who face couldn't even be seen under his mop top of blue hair. Other peoples, ex-gang members from other places, those running away from some unknown life or horror, people who just _live _here, were fighting along side him. But not enough, barely half the people who walk around this area in a three block radius, not enough for this sudden barrage of fighters.

"Neji!" Sasuke tossed me a spare load of bullets for my gun and a holster full of weapons. Inside that holster also held all of my equipment. I was known as the All Seeing Eye, mostly based off a rumor that when these lands had been run by ninjas my clan had an eye trait called the Byakugan that let the user see 360 degrees around them. Admittedly though, I was good at spotting the unseen, but I did need a vantage point.

"TenTen, Lee!" I hollered, nudging my head to the left where there was a hidden opening through the back way of an all.

I knew from maps that it would lead to a long abandoned house where we could I could scope the land and give the layout and give a tactic choice and charge in, right in the middle. Right through their defenses, if all went well. If not Naruto, Kiba and Lee -when he was fast enough- just barged an all out war and the fallowed by Sasuke who would take fast quick jab at people rendering them useless imedietly. Shikamaru would then take a high vantage point and sniper people out, Shino would stay hidden in the shadows with Gaara and take anyone who tried to escape, Choji would take his own fighting skills out on the big guys using his strong punch, Ino and Sakura used massive strength, Temari would be holding up, slicing people and rending them unable to move and TenTen would follow me for support. She didn't need to follow me, she just did.

Today was a bad choice though. It had been a bad choice. The instant Lee had run back in to join the fight and help out, me and TenTen had crept silently in the dark and into the long abandoned house through a window.

"Over there," I pointed to the leader, being defended by his men, fighting off the occasional man on our side lightly. "Help me make an opening, we charge in from above," I pointed up stairs, we had all practiced in high jump falls. "From there it shouldn't be long before the idiots or the teme get to him, we'll open up a path straight there."

Naruto and Sasuke were our finishers, the ultimate big fighters. And we let them, it wasn't that we couldn't take them, it's just that we didn't want to deal with the mood afterwards. Plus, it was just easier to let them finish it, take down the big man, wasting energy was their thing and we couldn't hold up as long, plus Naruto is a stamina pack house.

"Okay." TenTen nodded, pulling out her katana.

"No.." Then I couldn't see, and all was black.

_Oh TenTen! _I groaned out and pulled myself up to my arms. Taking a break to catch my breath. What is this? It feel like I've been socked in the chest, pushed to the ground and kicked around for sport. _Where is she? _I looked around, eyes darting frantically in search for her, the sounds of grunted fighting and screaming coming from outside.

_TenTen! Where are the guys? _

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," a cruel cold voice came from the shadows, shuffling closer to me as I struggled to stand on my feet with labored breath, the sounds of something dragging slithering from the dark like a boogeyman, "they make a good distraction, don't you agree? Neji-_kun._" He mocked.

I knew that voice, that sneered like a snake and grinned like the devil. Orochimaru. He stepped out from the shadows and even they happily released the demon from their dark mists. His pale white face looked sickly and creepy in the dark, he stepped out forward.

"Neji," He smiled, sneered, "look who we got here, a friend come to play." With that, whoever he had been dragging behind him, he pulled out front and into the pale yellow street light reflecting in the room. TenTen.

She was collapsed to the ground, a big bruise from painfully on her cheek. His hand gripped the back of her shirt and she moaned helplessly, even though she was out cold. On bun had been released and dark chocolate brown hair fell onto her shoulders messy and tangled. Orochimaru smirked, I couldn't imaging the shock, horror and anger her must have seen on my face.

I stepped forward to grab her, to charge him and attack.

"No, no," He grinned, griping her katana in his hand. "Now you don't want to do that Neji." He pulled her up and grabbed that lose hand, ripping up her head so that her bare neck was exposed while she dangled and groaned in pain in his hand. I stopped. He placed the sword delicately against her neck, drawing it just enough for a tiny drop of blood to spill. It looked like a red tear as it rained down her neck.

"What do you want." I stood gasping for breath. _What did he do to me?_

"Nothing much," He pointed one finger at me with greedy eyes to follow. "Your service. I could use the All Seeing Eye in the Sound, you're a genius, intelligent, good for seeing the unseen. I like unusual prodigies in my mist."

His compliment made my skin crawl, as if it were Hiashi standing there instead. "And she'll live?"

He grinned his snake grin, "I imagine you don't mind if the boys get hurt, boys will be boys. But girls are delicate." He pulled TenTens hair and she let out a tiny scream sounding so pathetic from her. "I imagine she is _very _important."

"If I say no way in hell?"

He looked at me as I glared, how I hated to see TenTen like this. A doll in his hands, he could destroy her and she wouldn't even need to think about it. I could see it in my head, her dead body, never moving again, never pushing me and Lee about for sport, never fighting, never sitting in her room carefully polishing some weapon, never again looking at me with he brown eyes filled with life, never to hear her voice.

"I'll kill her, then I'll constantly attack you're gang till you are the only one left alive."

I looked at the ground and clenched my fist. _TenTen. _I couldn't let her die.

"Deal." I glared at him. I looked at TenTen and winced as he dropped her to the ground. "If you harm her, or anyone as important as her, you'll be begging on your knees."

He smirked and turned away. "Come Neji." I blanched, he wanted me to go _now? _"Or watch her die." He whispered into the dark, it's venom seeping over to my bones making my knees shake. So I followed him. Out the door, and into a black car with a boy, Kabuto, driving in the front.

"Now we wait." I sat next to him, numbly watching the lights and house go past. What were we waiting for now? Who? Why? Every thought in my head screamed at me.

Later I would learn it was because I had some power in political issues, I had smarts, I had talent. And Orochimaru had more in mind then simple gang wars, he wanted control, destruction. To control the underworld of this city, every dark corner it hold he wanted. He needed coverage. I would later find out that he had been recruiting heads, heirs, prodigies of major clans known to dabble in the dark side for this control, this plan. He could win control over everything with fear and power. He would burn this place to the ground, destroy all the good in it, the heart. Of the very place I called home.

_I'm so sorry. _

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_**Well! Here it is! I hope y'all liked:) **_

_**Please review XD**_

_**And just to tell y'all, i'm not entirely sure what I'm making Orochimaru do0.0 but whatever it is, o well.**  
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	8. Chapter 8

**School and work are tiring me out! i'm brain fried. but i wanted to update something XD lets see how it goes?**

**Vote on my poll on my profiel for your fave character couple!**

**Please read and review**

**Do NOT own Naruto.**

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Ch. 8

Power

*Sasuke 13*

"Hey!" Naruto rushed into the bright light hospital, runing down the halls in front of me at breaking speed only he could carry. It struck me that his small childish back bore the wighet of us all. On those shoulders right now rested our lives. I hefted Shikamaru onto my shoulder with a huff.

"Grandma Tsunade!" He called down the hallway, disturbing other people with his loud anxious voice and his torn bloody cloths.

"Sasuke, slow down, I can't keep the pressure with you running so fast!" Sakura told me franticly, puffing to keep up to my pace while trying to aply pressure on Shikamaru's knife wound on his gut. It seeped into my jacket and down my back,warm and thick, how could I slow down when a friend of mine was bleeding?

"What Naruto!" Tsuande hollared from down the hall. The blond boy could be seen rushing back to us with a strecher. "Naruto wait up!" The older blond came down the hallway, face worried and compasionate for her little brother figure.

"Oh damn." She whispered, shaking her head and setting her sight back on task. "Naruto step back."

"Grand-"

"Now!"

"K."

She turned to me with blazing eyes of determined fire. "Set him on the stretcher, everyone head to my office and get checked up by Shizune." She whirled around with the stretcher in toe, as well as Choji and Ino close behind their childhood friend. "Nurses, open ER asap!" Her hollering reached down the hall and she disapered around a corner. Finally I aloud myself to slump against a wall.

"Naruto!" Lee rushed up and grabed the tranced boy, whose eyes stared off still following the unseen stretcher, by the shoulder. "Neji and TenTen never made it back out! Should I go look?"

"Uh..." Naruto seemed frazled.

"No." I stood up and placed a friendly hand on Naruto's shoulder and he slumped in silent reliefe. "Lee, go get checked out with the others, I'll go and look for them." I patted my side mentioning at the hidden gun in my waist band.

"I'll go to." Sakura stood next to me determined. She grinned shyly up at me and into my onyx eyes, her green ones shimmering. "I'm a healer, if they're hurt, or you get hurt, you'll all need me there."

"Be carfule. Please." Naruto held his hands on our shoulders now, gripping them tightly with wide blue eyes. "I have a bad feeling today." He removed a hand from my shoulder and placed it on his stomach. "A gut feeling man, and it hurts."

"We'll be fine!" Sakura assured him, slapping him lightly in their rough housed effection.

She was like that to him, Naruto being a little brother or something along those lines. I admit though, I wanted that feeling with someone. I wanted to tell Sakura, I was ready to accept her crush. She would be extatic, so happy her green eyes would tear and her cheeks would turn red. And she was cute, and she would do anything for me, she was a great person to have in my life, and I was glad she wanted to accept me.

"I'll keep her safe." I promised Naruto. He had a small crush on her, a reson why I didn't entirely just burst out and tell her _"Yes I would love for you to be in my life!" _I would wait, but for now I was content somewhat in my makshift family put together by Naruto.

"Good luck then." He reached into his pocket and handed me a small wad of bills. "For emergancy use." For bribery if their caught in other words. He slapped the green crinkling wad into my hand and hugged me breifly in a broghter like fashion. "Come back you two." He grinned, "Remember Sasu-gay, I'm the one to kick your butt."

"Idiot." I whispered, can't he read the atmosphere at all? With that we walked out of the hospital and into the night lite town of Konoha.

"Sasuke?" Sakura walked beside me, briskly follwing in my faster foot steps. "Do you think they'll be at the site?"

The place we would all meet should we be seperated in a fight. A small park in the rough side of town with the slides spray painted and the swings tangled together, a park that no kid played in unless they wished to get hurt by the older gangs. That was were Naruto had grown up. Fearing for his life as a child, orphaned at a young age and simply forgoten. That was were I found him as small kid, swining alone on a swing.

"Yes." No one went there anymore, it was our perfect place. More so now that the trees and grass were taking back their ground. "TenTen and Neji would think to meet there first before the hospital." I loked at her while she held a small cellphone pressed tightly to her ear. "Can you get through to them?"

"Not a thing!" She sighed in defeat. "Neji! TenTen? Call me back as soon as posisble, can you meet us there at the site?" She waved a hand in the air as if she could tell them off right here even though it was just a voice message. Sakura hung up and shook her head, pink hair shifting back and forth.

"Hurry, we'll check the playground first" I assured her.

*Few Minuets Later*

_Sakura? Where are you? _I groaned. The air around me shifted painfully and I felt glued to the solid ground beneath me. _What happened? I_I pulled myself to my knees, gasping for breath like a weakling. What happened? I remembered walking into the desolate park, the trees silent and the grass shifting in frightening whispers. Then a bang, like a gun. I had through myself over Sakura, pushing us to the ground, and when I rolled back up a fist attacked me.

"Uugh.." I placed a hand on my gut, now feeling the effects of the attack. My face throbed and I could feel the blood slidding down my forhead. "Sakura?"

I knew that fist, it's fighting style. I had fought against plenty of times while sparing. It's rigid structre, formal hold and deadly precision. I was fighting Neji.

"And I expected more of an Uchiha." Sure enough, out of the shodows walked a tall braod Neji. His young face enclosed.

"Sas..." I lifted my head up sharply, almost crinking my neck. In his arms was Sakura, a big patch of blood on her pink head. She shiffted in his arms, but her eyes were closed tight.

"Neji," a snake laughed, "That was a strong sedative gas I through. I'm surprised he's awake." From behind him Orochimaru steped out, tall and confident in himself.

"Traitor!" I yelled at Neji. Climbing to my feet I stood hobblyed over, about to fall, but ready to fight.

"Oh, tsk tsk." Orchimaru chuckled. "Now Sasuke, you don't want her hurt? Neji made the right choice to."

Neji made his choice? By the sudden flash of pain on his face, I can only assume, they must have gotten to TenTen. _Where was she?_

"Neji.." I whispered. SHaking my head, I held out my fists, wobbnling before blurry eyes.

"Face it Uchiha," He turned his eyes away from mine. Someone who so prouded himself on being able to look anyone in the yes with absalute honesty and honor, without guilt or fear of his oponent and future consiquences, was looking away! "You can't fight like this," He placed sakura on the ground and she lay there limp as dead. "You can only lose."

He held ojut his hands, shaking I relized, and placed them around her neck. _I can only lose? _

"I wont!" I rushed to charge him off her, but my feet caught and my head slamed into the ground. "Damn." _Whats wrong with me?_

"You won't be able to move like that." Orochimaru laughed and Neji applied more pressure onto Sakura's delicate throught. _No! _She coughed and gasped.

"I'll make you a deal."

"I wont listen!"

"But," He smirked, "I think you will." He gestured to Sakura, with Neji still abover, steadly applying more pressure. "You see, after this, I wont stop at her. I'll move on and on, and destroy you're new family you've made."

I growled at him. "Or..." A evil glee spread a sick smile on his face. "I can call up Itachi to do the job. Again."

I froze in my spot. Itachi? "You know where that bastard is!"

"Yup." He signled for Neji to let go and the poor pinkett lay gasping and coughing for much needed air. "I know how to get a hold of him, or the right people to find him. But as you are, you can't kill him."

I clenched my fist. "But I will." Oh, my brother would meet his death at my hands, just like our family met it at his. It seemed a fitting end.

"No, you have no power. Not politicly, which Itachi dables in from time to time." He counted on his pale fingers what I did not posses. "You don't have strength physicaly, emotionaly. Well, maybe not now, but thast could take you years at the pace your are going, working with a playful gang of kids. Thats not how you do it."

His slithered over to me and Neji stood by his side like a faithful dog. "I can offer you everything you need and more. I dabble in much worse things than Itachi does. I can give you power."

_The power to destroy Itachi in the most painful way ever. _The thought pleased me, but I turned my head over to Sakura. "She will be safe? And the others?"

Sakura rolled on the ground and groaned. Regaining consiouness slowly.

"Yes." He chuckled. That was probably a lie, they'd be safe for now, but Naruto and the others would charge at him head on.

But he held out his hand, and I slowly reached out. I was reminded of the family I lost. My kind mother, my strict but loving dad, aunts and uncles, cousins...a brother. All those smiles and laughs, encoragment and downfalls. Everything wiped out in one night. This reafirmed my desicion.

So I took the hand of the devil.

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**I know it's late! I'm so sorry . Everything is behind. Everything needs an update. I'll try to uplaod more to mt other chapters soon as I can, but school and work have really loaded me down this year. By the time i'm done, i'm mentally exahusted. **

**Sorry for the typos, this was done on a school computer, it dosn't have my cool erro lookout stuff.**

**Once again, i'll try and update everything else soon. **

**Thanks for reading and please review:)**


	9. Chapter 9

**It's time to get back on track! Three chapters for sinners XD  
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**if you don't know yet, here's my new fic rule.  
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**3 chapters tops (which means it can be less) per fic, then I go to the next fic and so on and so forth.  
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**But I do hope y'all will like this update XD  
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**I realized I put the name "Sasuke" in instead of Shino, so sorry if it pops up again becasue I could only find one where I could see it.  
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**DO NOT OWN NARUTO  
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Ch.9

Mission: Cinderella

*Gaara*

The night swallowed people, the wholeness of its impenetrable dark consuming its companions and eternal friends in a cape of protection. The moon guided the wayward children, hopefully to save another from the tears she had been forced to watch. I crept carefully along the side of the humongous house using the dark to my advantage, pressed tightly to the side. The night especially was my friend, having used the shadows my whole life to hide and hunt. Holding up a hand, I signaled the clear and the barely audible sound of rushed sneakered feet rushed to their positions.

Naruto popped beside me, his hair covered with a black hat and his clothes equally as foreboding. With a grim face he nodded to me and allowed me to lead him around to the high window. I felt just as eager as anyone to save Hinata, more so to get the big smile back on Naruto's face. A smile that saved my life, my sanity, and my family.

I also knew personally about abuse, how many times had his father hit me, or Temari and Kankuro? Eventually I lost count as well as my reasoning to understand a helping hand, lashing out at innocents to satisfy my own broken heart. Still, I can remember how Naruto was my saving grace and somehow I wanted to be part of Hinata's.

A shrill whistle cut across the ground and I heard the collected group pause for breath. Nudging Naruto's shoulder I pointed out to the top window, Hinata's room. Knowing that he didn't understand charts and blueprints as well as the rest of us, a visual showing would do him good.

"That's her room?" He whispered, his usually loud booming voice unnervingly quiet.

"Yes."

"Game plan." He ordered lightly in a melancholy tone.

"You and me go in at Neji's clear," He nodded his head and I leaned in closer to his ear so he could hear better. "He'll lead us to Hinata's room and Sakura is waiting in the van with medical supplies. Hanabi will toss her bag out the window to Shino and Lee, Shikamaru is on lookout for any surprise returns."

We waited silently, not even daring to shuffle least our the static shuffle of our clothes cause an alarm of distressed. After a few more minuets of statute stillness, the whistle can again sharp in a sharp clear four-note call. Neji had called the clear.

My adjusted eyes saw the back door creep open to an even darker hallway of oblivion. I poked Naruto's shoulder and confirmed out direction. His own eyes quickly catching the gaping hole in the house like an open mouth.

Rushing to the door we paused to confirm our plans with Neji. "I'm going back to the kitchen, everyone in there is cooking cookies so I have a reasonable alibi. Hanabi is technically asleep." I couldn't see his face, just the dark outline of his body. His voice on the other hand was a dead, tired calm.

"Keep her safe Uzumaki."

"You bet I will." He grumbled, pushing past Neji with his shoulder and strutting into the house.

Nodding my head to him once I swiftly led Naruto once again down the halls, navigating the side table and the stair well that on a map had been marked for its squeaks. Naruto's foot thumped atrociously against the last step to the top. A high-pitched squeal creaked out from beneath us and we stopped dead in our tracks.

The moon shone on Naruto's face, making the usual tanned sun-kissed boy pal and ghastly, the shadows swallowed his wide sky eyes and took from my sight the man I had grown to love as a brother. His dark gaze caught mine, lifting a finger to his lips he motioned silence and moved his foot up inch by inch at snail's pace to be sure he wasn't stepping on the wrong board. Once his foot was over the threshold we moved again.

A door at the end of the hall was open, like a little beacon of light in the dark. Hinata's room. At her door stood a small figure, the left side of her face illuminated by the soft little light showing a young and scared face. The rest was leaning into the shadowed hallway, making it seem as if she was either being sucking in, or stepping out. She then waved a hand at us, urging us faster.

When we arrived at the door she momentarily blocked us from entering by spreading her bare-feet to the edge and her arms gripped the frames. Even through she was smaller and younger than us, her face was fierce and strong, stubborn. She wouldn't budge. Inside the dim room was a lump wrapped tightly in blankets on a purple bed. Hinata.

"You will keep her far away?" Nervously she bit her lip, losing some edge to her strong voice. "Father is doing something wrong, she doesn't deserve this. Please, keep her away, I'm afraid what he'll do to her."

Naruto bent down to her level, the smile that had been swallowed in worry and determined tried to appear again, slightly tugging on his lips. He placed a hand on her shoulder and and nodded.

"I'll keep her away from him." He swore with his right hand over his heart.

The young girl turned pale eyes on me. "You?"

"Yes." I confirmed.

Content with our answers she let us in and pouted childishly when Naruto ruffled her dark hair playfully. His blue eyes caught sight of Hinata and he hurried to her side.

"Hinata?"

I hurried over and glanced over him. Hinata was in horrible shape. Her face was a deep fever red, bangs sticking to her sweat face and her breathing came out ragged and rough. Pulling out my camera I started to snap pictures. It probably wouldn't be enough to for leverage, but we needed what we could get.

Hanabi bent down and unwound the blankets momentarily showing her fraying body. I snapped a few more pictures, making sure to get one of the bandages tied around her wounds, the smallest patch of blood staining through.

"Her stitches tore two days ago, and we had to use a needle and thread." Hanabi told us solemnly. "Then dad got mad at her screaming and said if she didn't want them, to take them out. I'm scared the the wounds might be infected or something."

I filmed the last bit, catching everything Hanabi said as the camera zoomed in and out on Hinata.

"He's never been mad like this before." She whispered. "I don't think so. Why is he hurting her so much all of a sudden?"

To Hanabi, she had probably never noticed or never cared. Having grown up separate from her sister, she probably hadn't been able to pick up on any physical or mental pain that was happening because of her dad. Now she knew, she would always know that every little word her father had said and would, every little act that she might have even considers disciplinary, was abuse and neglect. I reached over and patted her shoulder, but there was nothing else I could really do. I myself never truly understood my father, his hatred, his violet tendencies. He had always been that way. It didn't grow from a silent action, it was there.

"I already tossed down her bag." She leaned down beside the bed and picked up a smaller backpack. "This has things in it I didn't want to through down."

I took the backpack and placed it around my shoulders. "And don't nudge her too much, she still hurts and all, you know?"

"Don't worry little Hyuga," I told her in my monotone voice, "we will be careful. But we must also go fast."

She nodded her head firmly. "Thank you." She then walked away and down the hall and I listened for her bedroom door to shut firmly in place, knowing she would probably watch us leave through her window.

"Ready Naruto?"

I watched him gingerly pick up Hinata, as if her was afraid to break her. She squirmed pitifully in his arms, whimpering and moaning. Other wise she stayed almost blissfully asleep.

"He's dead." Naruto's fingers clenched, fighting to ball into fists even though they softly held Hinata close to his body.

"In due time. We have enough here to keep him at bay."

"How can someone be so cruel?"

"Humans are not perfect. Naruto, I wish everyone viewed family as you do." I told his sincerely. He managed a strained smile and we quickly and swiftly left the way we came.

Once outside the air pushed us along the shadows as if trying to aid out getaway. I could spot the dark van and the wide open door, blackout curtains covering the light inside. The dark curtains pushed aside to reveal Sakura's worried green eyes.

"Get her in here Naruto!" She whispered urgently. Doing as told her handed her over and the people inside gently laid her in while we climbed in. With a little thud the doors shut and the engine started. Shikamaru booked off into the night.

"N-Narut-to?" A frail voice asked. Naruto had his blue eyes glued to Hinata's fuzzy white ones while Sakura checked her over for any intimidate dangers and giving her a shot to douse her pain.

Her grabbed her fingers, running a thumb over her pale knuckles. "I'm here Hinata, you're safe. Don't worry." A wide grin stuck to his face.

"K..." She mumbled, closing her eyes to a painless sleep.

I felt childish, as if we had just rescued the princess from the evil dragons like those story books I never really got to here as a child. This story was far from 'happily ever after' though.

**#####**

**There we go XD  
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**I hope y'all like!  
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**PLease read and review  
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	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry I haven't been able to upload! I know you've all been waiting.**

**School and work, supper busy and I've been some type of serious stressed and I'm guessing a tad depressed. **

**I've had a good break from everything though and hope to upload again soon and get back on track to my three chapter rule.**

**Please read and review,**

**Sorry this one is rather boring.**

**DO NOT OWN NARUTO**

Ch. 10

To Make Him Smile

Once Hinata was safely away, I set quickly to work. First, I made sure she would stay blissfully asleep by giving her a small dose of morphine, letting her tense body finally have some rest. Her fever was high, dangerously high, her wounds, though I could scarcely check them, seemed to be inflamed and irritated, swelling from harsh treatment. Ino wiped some of the sweat from Hinata's brow moving the hair clinging to her face out of the way.

"How is she?" Naruto asked dully.

I cast a worried look at him and briefly met Ino's eyes. We were worried about him, slumped into the side of the van. It seemed that rescuing the shy girl had done nothing to abate his fears; instead, it seemed to way heavier on his slouching shoulders. His blue eyes gazed solemnly at her.

"Bump." Shikamaru warned us as we headed over the pot holes and bumps in the rode.

Ino and I quickly held down on Hinata's shoulder, scooting in closer to keep her steady as the van bounced.

"She's fine Naruto." I assured him. "She'll be alright."

_More importantly…_I wanted to ask him, _will you?_

Naruto had become close to me, extremely. He was like a brother, he was family, he knew my deepest secrets and I knew his, for the most part. I had seen faces no one had seen before. His true sadness and true happiness. Right now I wanted to get him to smile again. A smile that saved me so many times, I wanted to save him.

I'm sure everyone else felt just as strongly. He had helped so many and probably without even realizing it. That was just how Naruto worked; he wasn't made for the darker part of the life we had been sucked into almost unknowingly. He rolled with the punches though and gave each of us an opportunity to leave. We chose not to. The big goof would stay in the world we entered, he saw too much pain to leave it be and tend to itself. We wanted to make sure his smile stayed; to save the boy who healed us should he ever need it.

"Naruto!" Lee whispered rather loudly, climbing into the crowded back and squeezing close to the blond.

"Hinata is most youthful, I am sure with your more youthfulness and my strong powers youth, we can revive her back to strength!" He encouraged him, arms held out in determined fists.

The sullen boy managed a small smile of thanks. "I know. I'm sorry for worrying you guys. It's just…"

Blue eyes gazed at the girls prone from, taking in her still body and fevered face.

"I feel like I should do more." He shrugged helplessly, the little smile slipping back into a harsh frown.

"This is why you have us!" I scolded him.

"Yeah, wouldn't trust him in the kitchen, wouldn't trust him washing clothes, and I definitely don't trust him trying to do _our_ job! Right billboard-brow?" Ino chuckled to lighten the mood.

Imagining Naruto trying to be a doctor elicited a small round of laughter, brightening the mood his smile slapped back onto his face and I felt somewhat proud to be able to heal a person he cared so strongly for.

It wasn't that he cared any different about us, he loved us all. Something about Hinata though made him act different, stronger even. While it was obvious that Hinata had a little instant crush on the boy, Naruto wasn't all that easy considering his own confusion. I'm sure though he had a little crush of his own towards the girl.

Looking back down at Hinata, I was determined to help save her and keep her safe. If only to keep Naruto's smile.

###

We spared a room for Hinata, clean and empty, but ultimately safe. After having pushed everyone out of the room, Ino and I were able to officially get to work. Her wounds though inflamed and hot red would heal fast now with the proper care. Her fever worried me more.

She would need a constant watch because should her fever rise any more, there was a possibility that we would not be able to save her. Choji brought us in a number of ice packs and we placed one on her chest, another behind her neck, one on her stomach and two under her legs in an effort to cool the heated blood. After placing a cool pack on her forehead, there was nothing more that we could do other than wait.

I leaned back in a chair, physically and emotionally exhausted and watching the girl sleep. Ino had all but passed out in her chair and I decided to let her sleep a little.

"Sakura?" A voice whispered from behind the door, startling me for a second until I recognized the husky and slightly depressed voice.

"You can come in Naruto, just keep quiet."

The door creaked open and he shuffled in with his head down and blond hair hanging limply before his saddened blue eyes. He sat down cross-legged beside me on the floor and stared intently at Hinata.

"She okay?"

"So far."

He gazed at me, eyes searching for honesty. I sighed. "Her fever is high Naruto, but I believe it's going down with care. It'll be another week before she's back up to her normal self, but she'll be fine once the fever is gone."

He sighed in relief and fell flat on his back to the ground and his arms spread out beside him.

"Thank kami, Sakura, you're amazing." He grinned at me from the floor and he kept talking to me in a quiet whisper.

"Sakura, I want to protect her. Do you get it? I don't. Why? Why do I have to protect her so badly? Want to so much." He lifted his hands up above his head and gazed intently at his palms as if they held the answers.

I giggled. "Naruto, maybe you like her."

His hands fell down and he looked at me as if I were stating something obvious to him. "Of course I do! I like all of you!" Naruto's voice cracked as he tried to keep his tone to a loud whisper.

Letting out a sigh, I leaned back in the chair to get more comfortable. "No, Naruto. I think you might, you know, like _life _her."

Naruto could only gaze at me before he started to laugh. Instantly he held a hand to his lips to stifle his chuckles. "No way!"

"Idiot." I mumbled.

"Besides, she's like a princess or something, why would she like me even if I liked her?"

Poor boy, he didn't know his own heart. Naruto was a lonely orphan though, I had to remind myself that. Even though his heart was filled with love, he didn't know how to tell the difference between friends, family and attraction.

"Princess always fall for the poor boy." I joked.

He stuck out his tongue. "Seriously, that's not funny Sakura!"

"Just sayin'." I sent his a helpless shrug.

"Man, you know, I guess it…" He yawned, "Wouldn't be… so… bad…" I watched amusedly as Naruto's blue eyes shut into a deep sleep finally relaxing his worries now that Hinata was in safe hands.

"Good night Naruto." I whispered.

"Mmnnaa..ni't."

**XXXX**

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